


3 bitches and a puppy (Part 9) - Back and gone

by Fleppy85



Series: 3 bitches and a puppy [9]
Category: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24965224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fleppy85/pseuds/Fleppy85
Summary: The blue rose killer is back and Vegas!
Series: 3 bitches and a puppy [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1806838





	3 bitches and a puppy (Part 9) - Back and gone

“I’ll be back soon.”   
Sara looked surprised when a Sofia on the run passed her by.   
“I’m also happy to see you,” Sara mumbled.   
“Don’t take it personal, it’s Brian’s big day.” Jules opened Sara’s apartment door.  
“Oh yes, his exams.”  
“Yes. He passed the first ones yesterday, if he succeeds today again, he’ll be a vet and can take over the veterinary office of his father.”  
“How are his chances?”  
“He worked as a vet for ages, he knows everything.” Jules put Sara’s bag with her dirty clothes in the bathroom and pushed Sara gently towards her bed.   
“Forget it! I’ve been in a bed for something that feels like years, I won’t go to bed now!”  
“Sara, you need to rest.”  
“Yes, on my hammock on the balcony. I need an open space, I’ve been in a room long enough. You can’t make me go to bed, only over my dead body.”  
“Okay, the hammock, but you’ll stay there, won’t walk around and take a blanket.”  
“Stop babying me.”  
“I’m responsible for you and I take that very serious. Hammock, now.”  
“Am I allowed to eat and drink?”  
“Don’t get cheeky.”  
“I’m just asking.” Sara went on her balcony and left Jules in the living room. Air. Space. Home. Her balcony. With a breath a sigh of relief, she sat on her hammock. Finally out of hospital. Two weeks. She had no idea why they kept her so long, how she survived these weeks and what to do first. She had so many things in mind she wanted to do, had missed. High on her list was to go back to work, but Grissom had told her to stay home a coupe more days. In Sara’s world, a couple were two.   
“What do you think of tea?” Jules came out on the balcony.  
“You say tea and I say: disgusting.”  
“Thought so. I made you a non-alcoholic cocktail.” Jules put a glass with an orange-red liquid in front of Sara. Orange, lemon and banana slices were the decoration.  
“Much better. Am I allowed to eat something? Or do you want me on a hospital diet: mashed, muddy and without a taste?”  
“Greg will bring some steaks and salad, we thought, we’ll have a barbecue because you’re back. Nina will bring ice cream, fruits and more juices for your cocktails. Janet made some snacks. Your personal welcome back party.”  
“I love parties.” Sara cell phone rang. “Sidle.” A smile appeared on her face. “No, I don’t miss my room or the hospital food.” She grinned. What a stupid question and the one, who asked it, knew it. “I don’t think so. Only if I’ll get shot again, otherwise I won’t come back. Maybe when I have to see a witness and collect evidence, but not as a patient. I spent enough time in Desert Palms for the next years, if not for the rest of my life.”   
Jules raised an eyebrow. With whom was Sara talking?   
“No…well, I stayed two weeks, that’s enough. If you miss me and want to see me, you’ve to come around. Didn’t the doctor say I need a fresh bandage every three days? Two days. See, I still need medical care, but no hospital.”  
Medical care? If Sara needed any medical care, Sofia would drag her to a doctor, if her friend didn’t want to go voluntary.   
“I’m not sure how you can handle it with your medical conscience, but we’ll have a barbecue tonight. If you want, you can come around before your shift starts and make sure, I don’t do anything I’m not supposed to do. Not that doctor Weinberg won’t make sure I’ll be a good patient, you know her.”  
Who knew her? Jules was about to take Sara’s cell away and find out, who called her best friend.   
“No, she’s not that firm – well, okay, she is. But only in areas I need somebody to be very firm and stop me from doing stupid things. And I listen to her, so she’s the best one to make sure, I’m fine.”  
At least Jules hoped it was like that.   
“Okay, I’ll see you later. Bye.” Sara closed her cell.   
“Who was that?”  
“You’ll find out later. Maybe.”  
“Since when do you have secrets?”  
“Since you left me alone in hospital and didn’t bother to get me home ASAP.”  
“I got you home ASAP.”  
“Two weeks.”  
“Any day sooner would have been dangerous. You were shot, Sara. It wasn’t a flu.”  
“I don’t go to hospital with a flu.”  
“If it had been your decision, you had stayed at home with your gunshot wound. You don’t make sensible decisions when it comes to your medical care.”  
“I love you, Jules, but you’re too much a doctor.”  
“Being a doctor is a part of me. You love me, you love this part too. So, who misses you?”  
“My whole shift.”  
“They weren’t on the phone.”  
“Maybe it’s not your business.”  
“Everything that includes you is my business.”  
“Says who?”  
“Say I. You’re my best friend, one of the most important people in my life, I love you more than my own life, I think, that makes you my business.”  
“Come here.”  
“Why?”  
“I want to be in your arms.”  
Jules eyed Sara slightly suspicious. Was the investigator trying to distract her? Jules got herself very carefully in the hammock and hugged Sara. She had to admit, she liked to have her in her arms. With a happy sigh she placed a kiss on Sara’s hair.   
“Feels good to have you in my arms again.”  
“Feels good to be in your arms again.”  
“The perfect situation to tell me, who called you.”  
Sara laughed. “Am I not allowed to have a secret, I understand.”  
“Depends on the secret. Will I like it?”  
“Probably.”  
“Then there’s no reason to keep it a secret.”  
“So I should only not tell you things, you don’t like to know?”  
“Actually, you’re suppose to tell me everything because we can talk about everything. If you want to keep somebody as a secret I think, it’s a date and you want to surprise me with…him? Her?”  
“What would you prefer?”  
“Somebody who makes you happy and doesn’t break your heart again. No matter if man or woman. All I want is that you won’t have another disappointment and will be happy. I know, you’re quite good at living as a single but I wish, you can find somebody, who makes you happy.”  
“I don’t know if he will be a partner, but he made me smile. If it turns out to be more, I’ll be happy, if not, I hope, I’ve found a new friend.”  
“So it’s a man, that’s a start. He made you smile, has something to do with the last two weeks, hospital. We’re talking about you, so it won’t be a doctor. All doctors told you to stay in hospital, they didn’t make you smile. In fact, the only doctor you like, is me.”  
“I like Nina too.”  
“When it comes to the doctor topic, Nina isn’t a good example.”  
“You still fight about who is a real doctor and who isn’t?”  
“She still believes I’m not a real doctor.”  
“You know, she’s teasing you. When she’s serious, she knows you’re a real doctor and she knows, you’re one of the best doctors on this planet.”  
“Why do I have a relationship with Nina? I should fight to get you back, you’re much nicer to me.”  
“Because you’d be in serious trouble if you try to leave me for Sara, Dear.” Nina stepped onto the balcony. “Welcome home, Sara.”  
“Thanks. I’d hug you, but your girlfriend wants me to stay here, I’m not allowed to move around or anything else that might be fun. I think it’s because she wants an excuse to have me in her arms. You should something. Send her away or something like that.”  
“You wanted to be in my arms, not the other way around.” Jules protested.   
“Nobody believes that.”  
“I should send you back to hospital!”   
“There’s no way you’ll get me back there.” Sara got out of the hammock and hugged Nina. “Do something, please. She wants me in hospital, you’re a doctor, tell her I’m fine, I can stay at home and go to work very soon.”  
“I agree on the home part, I totally disagree on the work part. Sorry. I’m sure your boss also disagrees on the work part.”  
“Everybody seems to be against me.”  
“No Sara. We all care for you, more than you do. That’s why we have disagreements. Believe me, we’re really happy to have you back home and we want you to stay out of hospital for a long, long time, that’s why we try to protect you from yourself. Your doc there only treats you with kids gloves because she loves you so much and is scared, you might overdo it. Give her some credit, please, will you?”  
“You know I do. Okay, I’ll stay for the rest of the week at home.”  
“The rest of the week are only three days.”  
“And?”  
“If you try to go back to work on Monday night, I’ll talk to your supervisor as a doctor and tell him, you’re not ready for work.”  
“You’re not my doctor, it’s not your business.”  
“Sorry, I take the health of my friends as my personal business. Candy?” Nina got a candy out of her pocket.   
“You can’t blackmail me with candy, that doesn’t work with me.”  
“Okay, I’ll try it the other way: you overdo it, I’ll get some medicine and send you to a long sleep. Give your body the rest it needs or I’ll make sure, your body gets what it needs.”  
“I think it’s the best when the two of you leave my apartment.”  
“Dream on, Sara, that won’t happen.” Jules blinked at Nina. It was good to know that her girlfriend was on her side and she made it very clear to Sara, that the investigator had no other choice than taking things slowly. 

“Looks who’s back.” Sara smiled when Sofia entered the balcony. Slowly she got out of Greg’s arms. “My favorite blonde.”  
“Hi, sorry, I had to make sure somebody didn’t mess up his future.” Sofia hugged Sara and kept her in her arms.   
“Are you a lucky charm?”  
“Of course I am. Don’t you always feel lucky when you feel my charm?”  
“Totally.”   
“Thought so. We brought some cake.”  
“Celebration cake?” Sara looked at Brian.  
“You’re back home, isn’t that a reason to celebrate?” He smiled.   
“Yes. But seeing you here means, you removed your name from the patient list of my fav doc, what means, you passed your test.”  
“You can call me doctor now.”  
“Congratulation.”  
“Thanks.”  
“I got rescued by a vet, a real vet. The only kind of doctor I like.”  
“Hey, careful!” Nina and Jules warned.   
“I’m sure your two doctors aren’t that bad. I know one of them does a really good job. Thanks for getting me through this, doctor Weinberg. You’ve a big part of this success.”  
“Do you plan to stay with Sofia?” Jules asked.  
“Uhm…yes.” Brian was confused. What kind of question was that? This question didn’t fit to the sentence he had said.   
“Good, first right answer. Otherwise I had thrown you off the balcony. Now, second. It’s Jules. You’re not a patient anymore, you’re the boyfriend of a really good friend, I’m sure we’ll spend some time together – don’t you dare to keep him away from us, Sofia! We want you both here. Third, you passed the tests because you’re good and you know all these things, they asked. It wasn’t me who made you learn everything, taught you everything. I only made sure you use this smart head of yours. That’s what women are for, make men think.”  
“Okay, thanks. But you’re still part of my success.”  
“If I ever get a pet I expect to get a discount.”  
“It will get free treatment.” Brian laughed.   
“Even better. But you won’t get any treatment from me anymore.”  
“Why does Misses Miller get her appointments?”  
“Because Misses Miller and I have a special relationship.” Jules smirked. “My office is the only place we can meet and don’t get disturbed. We need a place to be alone and she likes my couch – and me with her on my couch.”  
“Honey, you’re getting yourself in trouble – again.” Nina reminded Jules too friendly.  
“Why do you feel like giving me a hard time while Brian stays cool?”  
“Because he knows I’ve no interest in you. Nina, on the other hand, can never be sure with a girlfriend like you.”   
“I think Misses Miller just removed herself from my client list too. Could it be that she doesn’t need me anymore anyway?”  
“Oh, I’m sure she likes your time together, but when you kick her out, she’ll spend her time with somebody else. I’m sure there’s more than one nice couch and room in Vegas. Sara has a really nice couch too.”   
“You’re always welcome on my couch, in my guest room or my bed.” Sara kissed Sofia’s cheek. “I like to have my detective around. But I’m afraid I’ll see you not that much anymore.”  
“Not in your bed, no, but I’ll be around. As long as Brian is welcome and feels like spending some time with you, we’ll come around. It’s not like my place is far away from here. It’s like next door.”  
“True. Don’t you mind Sofia sharing an apartment with another guy, Brian?”  
“No. I wouldn’t be here if I don’t trust her. I understood that you, Greg and doc…Jules have a special relationship and that there’s no way you let anybody come between the four of you. Sofia said, everybody, who couldn’t handle your friendship, was sooner or later replaced. Nina and Janet are aware of your special friendship, support it and they seem to feel very good in your company. I’m sure I’ll have my time alone with Sofia, but I don’t mind if she wants to spend some time with the three of you. I believe in a relationship it’s important to share an amount of friends, like it is important to have some time with your friends on your own. I’ll have my time with the boys, she’s fine with that, so why should I make some trouble when wants to go out with you alone? That would be very stupid. I made my doctor today, I can’t be stupid.” He grinned widely.   
“A doctor title doesn’t make you smart.” Sara furrowed her brows. “Most times it makes you only arrogant.”  
“I promise that won’t happen. If it does, you’re free to slap me.”  
“I’ll do that.”

Sofia woke up by some kisses placed on her cheek and lips. Since when did…she stopped breathing. Brian. He was in her bed. She felt her body changing between hot and cold with a second. Her pulse got faster, she felt an urge to jump up and run. He was here, he was…why and when…  
“Sofia?” His soft voice hot her out of her thoughts. “Don’t panic, it’s alright.”   
Yeah, right. No need to panic. She had asked him to stay over. He had passed his tests, he had overcome his fears, it was about time that she did the same. So she asked him to stay and he did.   
“Usually I’d ask if you want to be alone but as far as I know that is the worst thing that can happen.” He stroke with his finger over her arm.   
He wanted to leave her? Not again. Why did that always happen to her? Why did they always leave after one night, left her alone, walked away and…wait, he never said, he would leave her, didn’t he?  
“When a night with me scares you that much we should talk about that – and you should see Jules more often. I’m here, Sofia.” He took her in her arms.   
“You don’t leave me?”  
“Oh Sofia.” He kissed her softly. “Promise to listen to my whole sentence.”  
That couldn’t be anything good. When he started like that, started like he wanted to tell, that he was very sorry, but he found out, Sofia wasn’t what he wanted, that he never wanted more than some fun, she had no idea what to do.   
“I have to leave you…no! Listen to the whole sentence, please!” He saw how tears got in her eyes, how her heart broke. “I have to leave you because I need to go to work. I’m not a nightshift person, I’ve to go in the morning and because I can’t take you in my arms and carry you all the time, I’ve to leave you here. I’ll be back tonight or you come over, whatever suits you best. Okay? I go to work, I’m not leaving you.”  
“I’m sorry. There was just this feeling like…” Like years ago when men only used her for their pleasure and fun and kicked her away.   
“There’s no way you get rid off me after this night. If you planed to have an one night stand, I’m sorry to tell you, that won’t work out. You have to live with me for a little bit longer.”  
“Define a little bit longer.”  
“As long as you want me in your life which is hopefully a long, long time.” He kissed her again. “I really need to go. Sleep a little bit more and call me later. Maybe we can meet for lunch.”  
“If you’ve some time I’ll come around.”  
“I’ll have time for you.” Another kiss and he got up.   
Sofia enjoyed for a few seconds the view on his naked body. Her boyfriend. He had woken her up so she won’t be horrified when she woke up and he was gone. Of course he had to go, he had to work. And of course he wanted to say goodbye to her. How could she be that stupid and believe for a moment, he had used her like the others had? He had waited until she was ready to sleep with him, he had never tried to put any pressure on her, had supported her like she had supported him with his exams. There was no reason to panic.   
“Stop staring at me like I’m some fresh meat.” He grinned when he saw her eyes on him.   
“You certainly look delicious.” She smirked. “I’m sorry for being so stupid.”  
“You’re a lot of things, stupid isn’t one of them. You were afraid, I understand that. You had all these bad experiences, me telling you I’ll leave, brought them back in your mind. I was horrified when I got my tests and had to make one of the breath exercises Jules showed me to calm down. We both have to learn, but we’re both on a very good way.” He bent down and kissed her again. “Want me to arrange something for our dinner?”  
“No, I’ll surprise you.”  
“Okay. See you later.”  
“Enjoy work, doctor.”  
“Thanks, detective.”   
Sofia closed her eyes when she was alone in her room again. She had sex with Brian and he didn’t want to leave her. He didn’t use her. He still wanted to be with her and when she used her brain, there was no evidence that he intend to leave her any time soon. He was serious about their relationship. Oh god, she met her boyfriend in the waiting area of a psychologist. They were both nuts.   
Her arm grabbed her shirt, pulled it over the head. In front of her bed she found her shorts, put them on too and walked out of her room. She wasn’t tired anymore. And she wanted to sleep later in the afternoon before she had to go back to work.   
“Morning.” Janet was in the kitchen, already in shoes and jacket, ready to leave for work.   
“Good morning, time for you to leave?”  
“Yes, I’m already late. Is Brian on time?”  
“I hope so. His first day as a doctor, he can’t be late.”  
“Well, he has a right of being late now that he’s a doctor. Nobody can complain anymore, he’s the boss.”  
“Until the end of the month his father is still the boss, then Brian will take over.”  
“And his father will be out of business?”  
“That was his plan. Both Brian and his mother know, his father will be away for a week or two and then he’ll start to come back, work some hours. He already promised some long time patients to treat their vets even after he’s retired. He loves his job, he can’t stop being a vet one day to another.” Sofia wasn’t sure if she could stop being a cop when it was time for her to retire. Maybe she had to spend the last years in a dark, small office, that might take away her joy of work.   
“Some support in busy times is good and his father had been a vet for ages, I’m sure there are a few things he can still teach Brian.”  
“That’s for sure.”  
“But Brian will be the boss. You’ve a boss doctor boyfriend.”  
“Sounds awful. Sounds like he’s a bully.”  
“I have met him only two times but he doesn’t strike me as a bully.”  
“No, he isn’t.”  
“Thought so. I’m sorry, but I have to leave or I’ll might end up looking for a job. I’ll see you around, have a safe shift later and take care of my CSI.”  
“I will. Have a nice day.”  
“Thanks. Bye.” Janet took an apple and left.   
Sofia thought for a moment to go to Greg. But only because she woke up and got up when Brian left, it didn’t mean Greg did the same. Probably he was sleeping, hay to catch up some sleep.   
Quietly she left her apartment and went over to Sara’s apartment. Jules and Nina were both gone, the room to the guest was wide open and the room was empty. They both had to work this morning. She wanted to open the door to Sara’s bedroom when she saw a motion on the couch. Sara wasn’t in her bed, she was watching TV.  
“Are you allowed to leave the bed?”  
“Damn it, don’t do that, Sofia.” Sara winced. She hadn’t heard the blonde coming in.   
“Sorry.”  
“And yes, I am allowed to leave the bed. My two doctors left, told me to stay in my apartment and not to overdo anything. Since they’re gone I can breathe again and don’t feel like I’m in prison.”  
“They are no jailors, they’re your friends.”  
“Sometimes it feels the same. No, I’m glad they’re here and take care of me. I just need a little bit more freedom.”  
“You’ll take your freedom, I’m sure of that.”  
“I try. How comes you’re awake that early?”  
“I wanted to be with you.”  
“I thought I got replaced by a vet.”  
“Brian left, he has to work.”  
“Right. He stayed in your room or in Greg’s guest room?”  
“My room. He conquered his fear, I had to do the same. I asked him to stay and guess what the first thing was, he said when we were alone in my room.” Sofia next to Sara, who offered her to come under her blanket. It wasn’t cold, but it was cozy under the blanket.   
“That it’s fine with him if you don’t have sex.”  
“Yes.” Sofia smiled. “He’s so cute. He didn’t want to put any pressure on me, didn’t want me to think I had to sleep with him because he passed his exams. And I knew he meant it. But I thought, that’s the perfect reason and night to have my first sex in ages. Not to mention the first sex I felt like I’ll have a long term relationship after it and don’t have to leave the man in a few days because I’m afraid he might leave me.”  
“I can’t see Brian acting like one of these idiots.”  
“Neither can I. But my mind didn’t work this morning. For a second I thought, he was like all the others. When he told me, he has to leave, I didn’t think of his work, I thought of, he got what he wanted and it’s over now. I had a really blond moment.”  
“No, you’re just a woman with scars.” Sara took Sofia in her arms. The blonde snuggled in. This was exactly why she had come over to Sara, she wanted to be in her friend’s arms.   
“I am. We are.”  
“Yes, we are. But you’ve a man, who understands you, who will give you all the time you need. And he woke you up to tell you, he has to go to work. It’s really thoughtful of him to do that and not simply to leave. He could have assumed you know, he has to work, but he knows your history, knows your fears and tries everything to make you feel good. Keep him, Sofia.”  
“I had nothing else in mind.”  
Sara cell phone rang. The tune told Sofia, it was a text. Sara took her cell and read the text.   
“Jules?”  
“No, I told Jules not to call or text me every five minutes. One call when she’s on lunch break is alright, the rest of the time she’s supposed to concentrate on her work.”  
“I’m sure she isn’t happy with that.”  
“No, she isn’t. This is Kieran.”  
“Who’s Kieran?”  
“You remember the male nurse, who brought me the veggie burger?”  
“The one, who risked to get in trouble because you were supposed to eat your hospital food? Yes, I remember him. He was a funny guy.”  
“Yes, he made my stay nicer. He wanted to come along last night, made sure I’m alright, but he had to pull a double because there was a big accident on Boulder Highway. He asked if he can make up with a breakfast.”  
“He wants a date?”  
“Not a date, it’s more like…I don’t know, we went on very good, he cheered me up and he’s a San Francisco boy, we’ve got something in common. He grew up in the same area I did and it’s nice to talk with him about some place of my childhood. I mean, it wasn’t a nice time, but there were some nice things, nice places.”  
“Does Jules agree with a boyfriend?”  
Sara laughed. “Jules agreed on Grissom, she agreed on Kyle, it’s not like doesn’t want me to see with a man. She doesn’t care who makes me happy – but a part of her will always hope that it will be you.”  
“I know. Poor woman, she’ll never get what she wants.” Sofia grinned.   
“She likes Brian, I hope she’ll like whoever I’ll date next.”  
“Kieran?”  
“Maybe, I wouldn’t mind. If he’s as funny in real life like he is when he’s working. He seems to be a funny and sensitive man, who feels when I’m not happy. Somebody who is emotional available, hopefully not looking for a short term relationship and does not have some other woman on his hands. This thing with Marian wasn’t good for my confide in people.”  
“I know what you mean. Any man or woman with half a brain does not betray you. He or she will be too happy to have you.”  
“So you, wanting me, are a woman with a full brain?”  
“And you, not wanting me, are a woman, who missed out the time of her life.”  
“I have you as my friend, I think, I can consider myself as a very lucky woman. Right now I’ve you in my arms, under my blanket, that makes me a special person. Only Brian can have you in his arms under a blanket.”  
“You think?”  
“I know you don’t share a blanket with Jules and Greg.”  
“I was in Jules’ arms on her couch.”  
“Yes, that was therapy, that doesn’t count.”  
Sofia smiled. Sara was right. Jules took her in her arms because she had asked for it. Usually she shared her bed or blanket only with Sara. Jules and Greg had their girlfriends and even before, she had never thought of sharing a bed with them. Only with Sara. Somehow she felt good and safe with her brunette bodyguard. 

It felt good to be back. Sara had managed to stay a whole week at home, then she was back in the lab. Grissom wanted to keep her in the lab, but she made it very clear, she wanted to be out in the fields. So the compromise was, Sara could have a case with Greg, but she had to start slow, had to take breaks and to leave on time for at least one week.   
“We should talk about the bullet proofed vests again.” Grissom said when he came with the new cases in the break room.   
“Griss, we can’t wear them all the time, they are in our way”, Catherine complained.   
“I’ll try to get some that are better to wear. Meanwhile everybody is required to have his or her vest in the car and when you come to a crime scene, you wear it before you start processing.”  
“Crime scenes are secured.” Nick sighed.   
“They should. But most times only the first crime scene is secured, all the scenes you go to after the first, aren’t secured. You have officers with you to secure it, but when the suspect is on the premises, there’s a certain level of danger. For these situations I want you to put your vest on. It’s nothing I want to discuss about.”  
Instantly Sara felt guilty. Grissom had thought of these new things because of her accident. If she hadn’t been in the house with Sofia…no, that was a bad thought. If Sofia had been there alone, Angelo had shot her and nobody would have been there to help the detective. It was good that she was there with Sofia.   
“Warrick, Nick, I’ve a 419 in the Good Luck for you.” Grissom handed the paper to Warrick. “Catherine, there are three B & Es in Enterprise. Greg, Sara, a 419 in Whitney. Be back in the lab on time, Sara. I mean it. You stay out there longer, I won’t put you on a case the next three days. You can stay home or some paper work, but you won’t get a case. Understood?”  
“Yes.” Sometimes she hated Grissom. She was an adult, when she said, she was fine, she was able to work, how could he dare to tell her, she wasn’t fit enough? Okay, she ignored her own limits sometimes, she forgot her health when it came to a case plus they were a couple, were still very fond of each other, but did he has to baby her for all these reasons?   
“Your responsibility, Greg. Make sure she takes her breaks, doesn’t overdo it.”  
“Yes, Sir.” Greg got up. It was in his own interest that Sara didn’t overdo it. He was happy to have her back on nightshift, he missed her, but he worried, if it wasn’t too early for her to start.   
“Wanna drive?” He offered her.  
“First of all: since when is that a question? Second: if you baby me, I’ll kick your ass. Third: I can make my own decisions, I don’t need somebody to tell me to have a break and sit around for a few minutes.”  
“I accept one, can live with two, but we’ll have a fight on three. You’ll take your breaks and when I think, you look like you need a break, I’ll tell you and I’ll make you to take on.”  
“Since does a puppy tell a bitch what to do?”  
“Since the bitch ignores her health too often. Let’s go.” He threw the keys to her.   
Sara grumbled a bit. She knew he was right, but she would never admit to that.   
To her positive surprise Sofia was at the scene, waiting for them. When she saw Sara, her face went stoic.   
“Are you sure you should work again?”  
“We’ve been through that, Sofia. If you don’t want us to fight like back in the days, you’ll stop it right here!” Sara and Sofia had a conversation about Sara coming back to work tonight earlier in the afternoon. Sofia wasn’t happy with Sara back on duty, she wanted her to spend a few more days at home, have some rest.   
Sofia looked at Greg.  
“She’ll make breaks and go home on time.”  
“I doubt that.”  
“She will.”  
Sofia raised an eyebrow. “Maybe you should switch cases with somebody.”  
“Sofia!” Sara narrowed her eyes. The detective made herself very unpopular. Sara was really close to get very angry. She understood that Sofia wasn’t happy to have her back, she understood that the detective wanted her to stay at home to have some more rest, but she wanted her friend to accept, that she felt good enough to work. And a little bit of support couldn’t hurt either.   
“The body is in the living room.” Greg took his flashlight and walked into the house, followed by Sara and Sofia.   
It was a small house, a little kitchen and the living room downstairs, Sara assumed there was a bedroom and a bathroom upstairs. Big enough for one, at most two people.   
The body of the man was on the TV chair. She guessed his age of late fifties, early sixties. With his remote control in his hand and his eyes wide open the man sat there, stared with empty eyes to the TV, that was running. An old baseball game. David stood next to the body, waiting for the CSI.   
“Hey Sara, welcome back.”  
“Thanks Dave.” At least somebody who didn’t tell her, she should go home.   
“Are you already done?”  
“No, I was waiting for you guys.”  
“Why?”  
David looked at Sofia. Was there something the blonde didn’t tell them? Before Sara and Greg could ask, David pointed without words down to the shoe of the victim. Sara let her eyes run down and her breath stopped. Shivers got down her spine. This couldn’t be real. Maybe she had to go back home or needed a break right now. Her eyes were definitely playing some practical jokes on her. She felt like being back in one of her nightmares. This couldn’t be. It was not possible. She closed her eyes, opened them again. She still saw the same. Maybe something was wrong with her eyes. Maybe it was the medicine she had to take. That would explain why she felt a little bit dizzy.   
“Sara?” Sofia’s hand was on her back, giving her some support like the blonde knew, that Sara felt dizzy.   
“Did you call Grissom?”  
“As soon as I arrived here I called him, Jim and Jules. I’m sure all three of them will be here soon.”  
“Good.”  
“Do me a favor, don’t get mad, but you look pale. I’d feel better if you sit for a second, please. You don’t have to leave the room, only sit down for a second.”  
“I’m…” She wasn’t fine, that would be a lie. “I’m over the worst. Thanks.” She closed her eyes but the picture of the man his shoes had brunt itself in her cornea.   
“Okay.” Sofia let her hand stay on Sara’s back for some support.   
“She’s back.”  
“I’m afraid she is.”  
“Why?”  
“Unfinished business?”  
“We need to call…”  
“I’m sure the Undersheriff did that already.”  
“Right.” Sara swallowed. Slowly she took her camera and started to take photos. First of the victim in his chair, then of his shoes. And the blue plastic rose next to them. 

“All the things you’ve bagged and photographed will end up in the hands of the FBI.” Grissom took a bag with evidence from Sara.   
“When will they be here?”  
“Can’t be too long.”  
“They’ll take over again?”  
“You bet.”  
“They didn’t find her, why can’t we try?”  
“Because our killer – whenever it’s a he or a she – killed seven people, disappeared for three months and when everybody thought, she’s in another state, stopped killing or was done, she came back. The FBI won’t miss the chance to catch her this time.”  
“Will we stay in the case?”  
“I’ll try to keep us in.”  
“Good.”   
Sara felt that Jules was around before she saw her. She turned and looked directly in the eyes of her friends.   
“Good…morning.” Jules looked at the time. It was after midnight, already a new day. “She’s back?”  
“It looks like that.” Grissom said. They had never released the fact about the blue plastic rose. The lab had to confirm, but it looked like it was the same kind of rose like in the first six cases. Same color, same brand.   
“Can I have a look at the victim?”  
“Sure.” Sara nod Jules to follow her. Silently they walked into the house. The body was still on it’s position, they couldn’t move it before the FBI hadn’t cleared it. David was outside, only Greg, who was still working in the room, was there with Sofia.   
“Hey.” Jules greeted her friends.   
“Doc, welcome back.”  
“Thanks detective. You were the first on scene?”  
“Yes.”  
“Who called you?”  
“Patrol saw the open door, had a look what was going on here. They called if anybody was at home, when nobody responded, they walked inside. Found the body, secured the house, the area and called for backup and CSI. Didn’t see the rose. When I came here, the coroner just arrived and CSI was on it’s way. I took a look at the body, called Brass, Grissom and you and waited for CSI.”  
“The door was open?”  
“Yes.”  
“So the killer wanted somebody to find him faster.”  
“Do you think she hoped for the police to find him first?”  
“Hard to tell. How likely is it that a patrol car comes along? Do they have certain times they are here?”  
“No, they check here randomly.”  
“At this moment I’d say, she didn’t care who found him. That can change when we find out things about the victim. Maybe there’s somebody who comes along every morning or late in the evening. Are there any witnesses?”  
“I banged on some doors, nobody saw anything. The vic lived alone, didn’t have a lot of contact with his neighbors. I’ll go around and ask some more neighbors.”  
“That is our business from now on!” All of the turned. Agent Copper and two other agents entered the house. Behind them was Nina.   
“Agent Copper.”  
“Detective Curtis, we’ll take over from here. Same for your CSI and psychologist, our people will deal with it.”  
Sara looked at Jules, whose eyes were on Nina. Sara could see again how both talked without using words and she was sure without that agent Copper noticed it.   
“Good luck.” Greg dropped the evidence bag in the hands of the agent next to him. Without more words he left the room. Sara, Sofia and Jules followed him.   
“Are you alright?” Jules took Sara aside.   
“I was shocked when I saw the rose.” There was no reason to lie to Jules. She knew her, she knew how Sara reacted. “I’m better now.”  
“I want to talk to you about that later. In private.” That meant nothing else than Jules wanted Sara to have a session with her. The psychologist demanded half an hour with her former patient, who was very unsteady when it came to this case. All the nightmares after the killer left, the accusation she made herself, all the pain, Jules wanted to keep as far as possible away from Sara.   
“Okay.” Jules would get this time with her, no matter if Sara agreed or not. And she had found out long ago that it helped her to talk to Jules.   
“Good.”  
“Nina?”  
“Will work on a profile.”  
“Alone?”  
“She’s a profiler, she knows what she’s doing. I’m sure she’ll get some backup from a colleague. If you’re asking if I’ll help her, I don’t think her boss wants that. If he doesn’t mind me on the case, I’ll help her and the FBI. This isn’t an ego thing for me, this is about catching a killer and I don’t care if she get caught by the FBI or LVPD as long as she gets caught ASAP.”  
Sara nodded. Jules was right. It shouldn’t be about, who worked the case, who caught the killer, who got the attention for it, it should be about getting somebody very, very dangerous into custody. If they could manage to safe a life by helping the FBI, it was worth it. It was hard to see it this way, it wasn’t something, that made her happy, but it was the best way to work the case. 

“I can’t believe we’ve lost the blue rose killer case twice to the FBI.” Cath grumbled. When she heard that the serial killer, who’s cases she worked first, was back and the FBI wanted to take over again, she was mad.   
“What did you expect?” Grissom asked. “They’re the Feds, it’s a high profile case, they want it.”  
“Anything new to the old six cases?” Cath looked at Greg.   
“No, it was like the other cases. No visible wound, a blue rose next to the victim. I’m sure it’s the same kind of poison again.”  
“If we’re lucky, we’ll hear it one day.” The FBI had taken all their evidence, there wasn’t much left to work with.   
“I copied all my photos to the memory driver of the camera.” Greg put a CD on the table. “The Feds took my memory card, but we’ve the back up.”  
“Good job!” Cath put the CD in the computer. That was a start. “Anything else you could safe?”  
“I’ve my photos too.” Sara put another CD on the table. “We found some prints, probably of the victim. The neighbors didn’t see anything, I processed the door, no signs of forced entry. The victim might have opened the door to his killer. Makes me think of, do you let anybody in or was the killer dressed up like somebody, you open the door to. Post man, handy man anything like that.”  
“We had the theory that our killer works or worked as a delivery person or somebody else, who drives around the whole Las Vegas area and finds the victim like that. We can try to find out, what companies the victim employed for his house. Plus where he went shopping, gym, libraries and so on.”  
“And we’ll get a profile from Jules.”  
“Good.”  
“The problem is, we don’t work this case officially.” Grissom stopped his team a bit. “We have to work all the other cases we get in. You can’t concentrate on this case, you need to finish your other stuff first.”  
“That means, we won’t get any new information.”   
“Well, when you’re first on scene, you can get all the information you can gain until the FBI is there.” Sofia came in the room.   
“As soon as the first office on scene sees the rose he’ll call the Feds.”  
“No, their first response is to us, then we’ll go there, make sure it’s really the blue rose killer and call the FBI. At least, I hope it will be like that. Nobody is happy to have the Feds around, the patrol officers might want to make sure first, they’ve the right case before they call the FBI for nothing.” A little smile on Sofia’s face made it clear, that was nothing more than a lame excuse.   
“You need CSI to verify that?”  
“I’m sure we will, Cath.”  
“Sounds better.”  
“I’ve sent my report to all of you.” Jules came in the room as the last member of their team of the night.   
“What’s about the FBI?”  
“Grissom, they’ve their own profiler. If you want my report, agent Copper can request and I’ll send it to him. Without a request they won’t get it.”  
“Fair enough. Alright team, that’s enough for now, back to your cases.” Unhappy with the end of their discussion the team started to split. Greg and Sara were removed from their case and could go home or get a new case. Because Grissom hadn’t handed them something new, as it was the end of their shift, Greg made the decision to write his final report. Sara, who wanted to ask Grissom for a new case, got stopped by Jules.   
“Let’s go home!”  
“If I don’t get a new case I’ll try to work on the blue rose killer case. Maybe we aren’t allowed to work it officially, what I do in my past time isn’t the business of the FBI.”  
“Sara, I didn’t ask you to come home with me.” Jules kept his hand on Sara’s shoulder and stopped her this way from walking away.   
“You are not my therapist nor are you my physician.”  
“No, I’m your friend. And I’ve the order from your boss to make sure, you go home on time. It’s time for you to leave. If you don’t go home now, I’ll let Grissom know and you’ll have another week off.”  
Sara’s eyes narrowed. She hated it when people tried to tell her what to do. No matter if it was Jules or anybody else, she was an adult, she could make her own decisions. When she wanted to work longer, it was her right to do so. And if Grissom didn’t want her clock, she could work without payment.   
“Don’t Jules!”  
“I’ll risk a fight, Sara. I know, you hate it when people tell you what to do or not to do, so do I, but unfortunately you don’t pay enough attention to your health. You were allowed to come back to work under the condition, you go home on time.”  
“This isn’t an ordinary case.”  
“I know. That’s the reason why I take that very serious. I want you home and I want you to rest.”   
“You wouldn’t tell Grissom, you don’t want a fight.”  
“Usually you’re right, I wouldn’t risk a fight over work. This time is different, it isn’t about, it’s about your health and if you don’t act responsible, I’ll make sure, you don’t risk your recovery. So, do you want to fight with me or do you come with me? Your decision.”  
“Bitch.” Sara turned and walked to the locker room to change.   
Jules sighed and leant on a wall. She hated it when she and Sara were close to fight. But in this case she had no other choice than being stubborn and force Sara to go home. Anything else wouldn’t be good for her friend. 

When Jules wanted to get up, an arm got around her waist and caught her before she could leave the bed.   
“Stay.”  
“I need to get up, it’s twelve and I’ve my first patient at one.”  
“We haven’t made up.”  
“There is no reason to make up, we didn’t fight. You gave in and did what was sensible to do.” Jules bent over kissed Sara’s cheek. She had not only made sure that the brunette went home, she also made sure, Sara went to bed and slept.   
“Maybe you didn’t fight, I did.”  
“In that case you have to make up to me. Let’s say with a dinner later. I’ll be back around six, when you’re still at home.”  
“I got that hint.”  
“Good. Sleep a little bit more, Sara.”  
“Are you back with us on nights?”  
“I don’t hope so. Working nights with you guys and days with my patients messes up my rhythm. And we don’t work the blue rose killer anymore, no need for me to go to a scene. If you get a new case, that requires a profiler, I’ll work on the profile tomorrow morning. If you need a friend, who kicks your ass to get you out of the lab and into your bed, I can arrange that.”  
“I hate it when you baby me.”  
“I hate it when you act like a baby. Be a responsible woman, sleep a few more hours, make some dinner for us and then you’re free to go back to work – without any overtime.”  
“Get lost!” Sara buried her head under the pillow. She wasn’t mad of Jules. Her friend did what was right, no matter how much Sara hated her to be right. But going back to sleep? Risk that the nightmares appear? She didn’t have any nightmares the last hours, she never had them when Jules was there. Without her friend, she wasn’t sure if these little bastards wouldn’t come back to haunt her.   
She waited until Jules was gone and left her bed. She never promised to stay in bed, there was no real reason why she shouldn’t relax on her couch, watch some senseless TV shows and maybe fall asleep there. Plus she could check on any news of the blue rose killer. She was back; if she had ever left Las Vegas. They didn’t know that. There was this message, that said goodbye, but maybe it was a trap. She had no idea and she had thought about every possibility again and again and again.   
With a sandwich and a coffee she made herself comfortable on the couch and turned on the TV. Thanks to the news channels it wasn’t necessary to wait for the news, there were updates from all over the world. She checked the Las Vegas channel, no news.   
When her front door was open, she wondered for a moment if she was annoyed that her apartment apparently had a revolving door, or if she was happy to have some company. Years ago a situation like this would have made her mad, she didn’t want people in her life. That changed after she met Jules. Now she was fine most times when people just popped in to see her.   
This time it was Nina, who looked very tired when she came into the room.   
“Hey.”  
“Hey, you missed Jules. She left a few minutes ago.”  
“I met her in front of the house, she’s in a hurry.”  
“Yes, her patients are waiting.”  
“You – on the other hand – could sleep a few more hours.”  
“If you start to tell me…”  
“I don’t try to tell you what to do, Sara.” Nina cut in Sara’s words. “I’m sure Jules did that.”  
“Yes. Like she forced me to go home.”  
“As a doctor I’ve to say, she was right with that.”  
“I know. Are you allowed to tell me something about the case?”  
“You mean something else than the statement we gave the press?”  
“What did you give the press?”  
“Nothing. Police and FBI made the decision, there won’t be a report on the death. We don’t want to give the killer the attention because we’re not sure if it was the attention, that got her away or if she came back to get more attention. So there won’t be a statement.”  
“How will you explain the activity of the FBI? Somebody might be suspicious that you guys are investigating and not LVPD.”  
“We hope it will take some time until somebody noticed – like tonight.” Nina laughed shortly. She knew, it wasn’t possible to keep their activity a secret. Too many reports knew them, too many reporters were around crime scenes. If the next crime scene was somewhere more public, there would be questions.   
The profiler got up, went into the kitchen and came back with a banana and some chocolate spread. Sara had no idea she had this stuff in her kitchen, she suspected Sofia as the one, who left it here. In case she wanted a pancake with chocolate spread and was too lazy to walk all the twenty yards to her own kitchen.   
“Banana and chocolate spread?”  
“Perfect combination, wanna try?”  
“No, thanks. I think I’ll get a veggie burger later. I feel like fast food. And Jules wants me to make dinner. Will you stay here?”  
“If that’s okay with you.”  
“Did I ever mind? Even before I knew you, I offered you to stay here when you wanted to stay in a hotel. You’re always welcome, like Jules. I blame it on the long work hours that you don’t use your head anymore.”  
“Out of order.”  
“When do you have to be back?”  
“If there’s no new body, I’ve to be back tonight. I guess around eight or nine to overlook the new evidence. They want a profile ASAP.”  
“Do they blame it on you that they didn’t catch her the first time?”  
“No.”  
“Good.”  
“It’s not like a profile comes with an address. We know the killer plays with us, that’s why she left the message the last time. We’re dealing with somebody highly intelligent and that is the most terrifying thing. Whoever killed these seven people has herself in control, she can stop killing when she feels, there are too many people out looking for her.”  
“Does that mean, she has her next victim already picked out?”  
“I’m sure she has a certain amount of people she wants to kill and has already all her victims picked out and also the order. The only way to stop her is to catch her.”  
“Maybe she didn’t kill in the last weeks because she was in prison. Got busted for something else, is out now and goes on where she had stopped.”  
“Maybe, but I doubt she got herself into trouble. She’s too organized for that.”  
“You’re giving me a profile, Nina. I’m not with you guys.”  
“You want her in prison, that means for me, you’re on my side.” Nina smiled a bit. “And I know, despite the fact, that you are not supposed to work the case anymore – what I support but not because of the FBI/LVPD thing, but for your own mental health – you’ll go on and try to find the killer. Do me a favor, Sara, don’t go after her alone. Take Sofia or whoever with you. She’s smart and dangerous and if she thinks, you’re close and might be able to stop her, she won’t hesitate and kill you.”  
“If your boss hears that you’re in trouble.”  
“I trust you that you won’t tell him.”  
“I won’t, promise. Thanks for the little profile.”  
“You’re welcome. I’ll go to bed, working nights isn’t my cup of tea. I’ll see you later.”  
“Later. Sleep tight.”  
“Thanks.”

Arms got around Sara, pulled her in and lips found their way on her cheek. A huge sloppy kiss followed.   
“Yuck! Don’t you have a boyfriend to kiss?” She got out of Sofia’s arms only to end there again a second later.   
“I do and he’s really sweet. That doesn’t mean, I don’t kiss you anymore, Sara. I still love you.”  
“Make up your mind who you want. And bear in mind, he wants you, I don’t.”  
“I know.” Sofia grinned. “Am I invited to this little burger party?” She looked at the two pans, both filled with burger. One, with veggie burger, one with meat burger. At least that was what Sofia assumed   
“Only you or Brian too?”  
“He’s on his way but I can tell him, to get something for himself. There’s no need to spoil him.”  
“Since I met Jules I stopped cooking for only one person. It was too often that she brought a girlfriend or friend around. And then Greg joined and he was the same. There were always more people at the end at the table than I had thought of when I started cooking. Actually I started to cook when I met Jules. Before her I didn’t bother about food, now I have to. And I always cook for at least all of the club plus their partners. Means, there’s food for at least seven people, you don’t have to call him.”  
“I can see eight burger. Four meat, four veggie?”  
“Two veggie, six meat.”  
“One of us is allowed to eat two?”  
“No.”  
“No?”  
“No.”  
“We’re eight?”  
“Yes.”  
“Who is number eight?”  
“You’ll see.”  
Sofia cocked her head. “Do you have a date?”  
“Actually I’ve seven. I see all of you as my dates.”  
“The only one I date is my boyfriend, sorry Sara. And he doesn’t date you, only me. You’re down to five dates.”  
“I don’t mind to take over for the two of you.” Jules came in the kitchen. “I like dates with Sara. We should have one soon.”  
“What will Nina say to this?” Sofia asked.  
“She’ll be fine. Sara and me always dated. It’s part of our relationship. What do you think, Honey, shall we have a little trip to L.A. soon?”  
“Can we go somewhere quieter? Red Rock Canyon?”  
“You want nature, you get it.” Jules placed her head on Sara’s shoulder. “I know you just started work again and you’re eager to work, but maybe we can take two day off next month.”  
“Sounds good to me.” Sara turned her head and kissed Jules on the tip of her nose. “Will you be there as my friend or as my counselor?”  
“I’ll be whatever you want me to be.”  
“Mine.”  
“Babe, I’m always yours.”  
“You two sound like a couple – again.”  
“That’s what they do very often.” Nina came in sleep shirt and shorts in the kitchen. “It’s nothing unusual.”  
“Other girlfriends would get crazy when they hear a conversation like that.”  
“Other girlfriends don’t meet their lover knowing about her special and close relationship to her ex. I knew hoe close they are before I had a relationship with Jules. I knew, I want to be with her, I have to accept, that Sara is a very important part in her life and that they need some time for them alone. In a good relationship, you trust your partner.”  
“I’m not sure if Brian would like it when I talk to Sara like that.”  
“That’s because he doesn’t know that you have this kind of relationship. Which you don’t have with her. Or did I miss something?”  
“A few things.” Sara smirked.   
“A secret affair. Sara and me are lovers whenever we have the time for that. At the moment I’m quite busy so we don’t see each other very often.”  
“Yeah, she has this side dish, this vet. But that’s okay, he some fun by the side.”  
“You’re both nuts.”  
“You must know, you’re the queen of nutcases.”  
“You mean psychiatrist.”  
“That’s the same. Shrink.”  
“I can see right in your head, Sara.”  
“It’s closed for you.”  
“I know how to get around the barricades.”  
“Get out of my kitchen and get dressed. We’ll have dinner in half an hour and I don’t want to wait for you.”  
“She’s latent aggressive, probably because she feels uncomfortable, doesn’t know how to react and…”  
“Out!” Sara threw her oven cloth at Nina, who left the kitchen laughing out loud. 

“Enemy!” Greg poked his finger into Nina’s arm. “Evil, mean, unloved enemy!”  
“Thanks puppy.”  
“You’re not supposed to call me puppy!”  
“Oh Greggo, come on.” She got her arms around his neck. “Don’t bitch around, you’re not one of the bitches.”  
“You’re a Fed, you’re evil. You take away our case.”  
“If I was up to me, you guys would work with us.”  
“According to your agent Copper, we are all working together. Like a happy family.” Sofia rolled her eyes while she sat on Brian’s lap. “I can’t wait to see him later. I’m sure he’ll be around, to make sure, we don’t do anything without your knowledge.”  
“Try to make it not personal to Nina.” Sara defended the profiler. “It’s her fault. Fed or not, she’s our friend and we treat her like that. If anybody has a problem with her, her job with the FBI or her working the case, try to get that out of the world in a way adults do or leave my apartment. I won’t accept any insult on her. Clear?” She looked at Greg.  
“I was kidding.”  
“Stop kidding her like that, Greg. It’s a complicated situation, if we start to bitch around or say things, people can understand the wrong way, we jeopardize our friendship. No case is worth that.”  
“Sorry.” He looked at Nina. “You know how I meant it, don’t you?”  
“I do. Do you understand that I don’t take away your case?”  
“I do. I’d love to work the case with you. I’m sure when you and Jules work together, we get the killer ASAP.”  
“I’d never doubt that she’s a great profiler.” Nina smirked at Jules. “And I know, she has a profile. One of my next missions is to convince my boss that it’s very helpful for the case and the FBI if Jules and I work together. If that’s okay with her.”  
“I don’t have any problem to work for or with the FBI. All I want is to catch the killer as soon as possible. Anything else isn’t that important.”  
“Good.”  
The doorbell rang.   
“Who is missing?” Janet asked.   
“Number eight, we have eight burgers. If you’ve planed to eat the last one, you’ve to change your mind to salad, the last one is taken. Sara invited somebody else.” Jules couldn’t hide her big grin. She had a very good idea who was the last person for their dinner.   
“I bought mouse au chocolate, it’s no problem to fill my stomach up with that.”  
“Mouse au chocolate? We’ve got mouse au chocolate in the house? I think I died and went to heaven.” Sofia’s face was one huge smile.   
“You won’t get mouse au chocolate in heaven, it’s better for you to stay here on earth. Besides, I need you here.” Brian kissed her softly.   
“Okay, I’ll stay.”  
“You better do. Guys, for all of you, who don’t know him, that’s Shane. He was my hero in hospital – beside you guys of cause. He got me real food.” Sara smiled and pushed a man in front of her.   
“The male nurse.” Jules grinned. She knew it.   
“The doctor.” He responded. “The one, who didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”  
“If your no means, I can’t see Sara, I don’t accept it, no.”  
“I know that now and I promise, I’ll never ever try to tell you again, you can’t see her because you’re not family.”  
“A wise decision. I am family.”  
“I feel a little bit left alone.” Janet said. “There are four people working in the health system, three of the law enforcement, only I’m left alone.”  
“Be glad you’re a secretary, you’re the only one here who knows when her day starts and ends. No sudden emergencies, no bodies, nothing that makes you work for sixteen hours.” Sofia liked her job but not knowing for sure when she could go home, what was waiting for her, wasn’t always a good thing. Sometimes she wished for a job that was every day the same, a job she knew in the morning, she could go home at five and have a free and relaxed evening. Maybe one day, when she was old and worked on a desk.   
“True. I like to know what will happen to me.”  
“What are you doing with Greg? He’s incalculable.”  
“Thanks, bitch.”  
“At least one part of my life has to be exciting.” Janet kissed Greg.  
“Don’t worry about the bitch.” Sara explained to Shane. “He means it in a nice way. He’s the puppy, Jules, Sofia and me are the bitches.”  
“So they are your family too?”  
“Yes.” Sara smiled. “Yes, they are. They don’t have to papers to get through you, but they are.”  
“See Janet, now we’re both left out and so is Brian.” Nina said.   
“Yeah, we’re not in the club, we’re only friends.”  
“Sara is very picky with the people she calls friends. You can be proud of being a friend and you, my dearest lover, have a key to her apartment. That’s almost like being in the group.”  
“It makes things easier for her and me. You spend a lot of time here, I want to spend time with you, that means I need to be here too. We’ve our own room here.”  
“Yeah, it’s not my guest room, it’s Jules’ and Nina’s room. If Greg hadn’t bought the apartment next door, this place would be full of people all the time. I’ve no idea how we could manage to stay all here…two on the couch, leaves two…I don’t know, on the kitchen floor?”  
“You don’t to share your bed with Brian and me?” Sofia cocked her head. “Come on, Sara, that’s old-fashioned. Not your style.”  
“If that’s your fantasy of a threesome, I’m sorry to tell you, that won’t happen.”  
“Bugger. I think, it could have be fun, what do you think, Honey?”  
“I think, I’m more than happy with you and I don’t want another in my bed or any other bed.”  
“I bet that’s not what he really thinks.” Greg chuckled. “I’ll ask you this question again later, Brian, when we’re alone and you can be honest.”  
“I was honest, I’ve the woman I want. Why have another one?”  
“They are only testing you. One wrong answer and Greg will throw you down the balcony. The puppy takes care of the bitch. Not to mention my special Bruce Lee bitch.” Sofia smirked at Sara. “Twenty years of material arts and I was face down in the desert sand. I’ll never forget that afternoon.”  
“It didn’t harm you and you deserved it.” Jules answered for Sara. “You know that.”  
“I didn’t say anything else.”  
“Good. Leave her alone, detective. You’ll be in trouble otherwise.”  
“You see, we’re a really friendly group.” Sara said to Shane. “Do you want a burger? The last one.”  
“I’m not sure if that’s healthy for me. I might get thrown off the balcony, meet twenty years of material arts, get arrested, attacked by a wild dog, poisoned with medicine or stabbed with a pencil.” He smiled.  
“Don’t worry, we kept it for you. They’ll behave and Jules and me are vegetarians, well help you.”  
“Okay, in that case I’d love to have a burger. I brought some cookies and muffins, you said, you and your friends like to take food with you to work, that you can eat while you’re in the car because there’s never enough time for a break.”  
“I think I like him. Cookies and muffins, a midnight snack.” Sofia sighed. Mouse au chocolate for dessert and cookies and muffins later at night. They should have a dinner like this every night. 

When Sara took the case she knew, she had to give it away very soon. She was at a scene to confirm, that the blue rose killer had killed another victim.   
“Hey.” Sofia was already there, waiting for her. “What do you think?”  
“We’ll make a call soon.” The detective turned and walked into the house. They were on the south east end of Las Vegas, almost between Vegas and Boulder. The house stood alone, the next house was around two-hundred yards away. The highway was half a mile away. Not the best area to find witnesses.   
The body of a woman, who Sara guessed in her late twenties, early thirties, was in bed. The blanket wasn’t moved, a blue plastic rose was placed next to the bed.  
“Coroner?”  
“On his way. David said, it’s a busy night.”  
“Yes, there was a robbery gone bad in the north, three dead bodies and half a dozen injured people. The rest of the shift is up there.”  
“You’ll go back there when the FBI is here?”  
“Yes.” Not that she wanted it that way.   
“So, what does the CSI say?”  
“The CSI says, there’s a blue plastic rose, it looks like all the other roses we’ve found so far. I can’t see any injury of the woman, but because we’re not allowed to move the blanket, we can’t say for sure. You checked the pulse?”  
“The first officer on scene did and so did I. She’s dead or her pulse is that low, that you can’t feel it. I checked the eyes, no evidence of any life in her body. Sorry.”  
“Anything else would be a surprise. Okay. Do we have to wait until David is here to confirm that she’s dead and there are no visible wounds? Or do we have to call the FBI because we’re pretty sure, it’s the blur rose killer again?”  
“I know what you want, you know what I want, we both know what we have to do. I’ll call agent Copper.”  
“And I’ll take some photos, have a look around. Scene is secured?”  
“Of course.”  
“Good.” Sara smiled and took her camera. She had maybe a quarter on an hour until the FBI was here and send her away. In that time she had to get as much evidence as possible. She wasn’t allowed to touch anything or take anything with her, so she had only photos to take, lifted a few prints from the door handle and walked outside. Maybe there were some traces around the building. The killer had to take a car, motorbike or anything else to come here.   
She found a car behind the house, probably the car of the victim. A few skid marks, at least two different kind of cars were here. She took photos to compare the skid marks with skid marks from other crime scenes. The garbage can was half full. She wasn’t allowed to take anything out, but she took some photos, as she took several photos of the backside of the house. No visible point of entry, all windows were closed and intact, the backdoor was closed. She was tempted to make sure it was locked, but didn’t do it.   
The desert began behind the house. She thought, if she wanted to leave this house, through the desert was a good way to start. With her flashlight she started to go to the fence. Well, fence was a big word for these few poles with a loose wire around. It was only knee high, one step and everybody was on the other side of the fence. It didn’t keep people or animals away, was nothing more than a border to know, where your premises starts and ends.   
“Yo CSI, where are you going?” An FBI agent called for her.   
Sara sighed. Her freedom was over, her reason to be here too.   
“I thought the killer could have left the house and walked into the desert. A nice way to disappear.” She waited until the agent came to the fence, where she stood on the other side. What a picture. Both on different sides of the fence. She wouldn’t make a comment about that.   
“Nobody ever told you, you’re not supposed to leave the scene alone?”  
“Sounds familiar.” She had thought of calling for an officer, but she didn’t want to bother with that. There was the desert, nobody was there. Maybe a coyote, she could handle them.   
The agent took his own flashlight and stepped over the fence. “So, what are we looking for?”  
“We?” Since when had she invited him to join her?   
“Sure. Officially I’m working the case, I’m with the FBI. That gives me the authorization to investigate. You on the other hand, are with the LVPD, it’s not your case. But I’ve no problem to admit that I’ve no idea of evidence, you’re the expert in this area. So I offer you the chance to work with me on the case.”  
“You offer me the chance?” Sara had problems to stay serious. Yes, he was authorized to work the case but he had no rights at all to tell her what to do. The only one who could give her any orders were Grissom.   
“Yes.”  
“You might what to rephrase that, agent…?”  
“You can call me Tom.”  
“Depends on how you rephrase your sentence, agent.”  
“You’re a tough one, aren’t you? Okay, I ask you to help me. Better? You’ve the bigger experience in finding important evidence, I’d appreciate your help. And if my boss ever find out that I said that, I’ll ask you if you know a fast food restaurant, that takes new employees.” He laughed.   
“As far as I know the Subway shop in the HAPPY DICE is currently looking for new staff. Give them your CV, Tom.” Sara smiled.   
“I’ll bear that in mind. You’ve got a first name…” He read her name on the vest. “Sidle?”  
“Doesn’t everybody?” She dryly shot back.  
“Again, your point. If we this is a game to three, I’ll give up because you’re too far ahead.”  
“Rule number one: Never give it, no matter how hopeless it seems to be. Otherwise you have to apply for the Subway job.”  
“I’ll remember that. Shall we? Please.”  
“Sure.” Sara started to walk, her flashlight on the ground. She was working with the FBI. An agent had asked her to help her. Was she supposed to do that? As far as she remembered the order was to work with the FBI, to support them. Probably if she wanted to call Grissom or the Sheriff and asked them, if she should help agent…Tom, she would be told to do so. So why waste the time and the effort to do so?   
“What are we looking for?”  
“I don’t know. Skid marks for example. There are two different types behind the house, only one car. The marks go to the street, so probably we won’t find them here. But there could be other marks, boot prints. Try to think like the killer. You killed the woman, you need to leave. You can walk down the street, not many houses are in this area, but people will look up when they see somebody walking around. Especially when they don’t know this person. Or you leave by car, but again, people are more likely to notice your car because it’s a remote area. The desert is a fast and easy way. Drive from here to the highway and vanish between all the other cars. Most people on the highway are in a hurry, they don’t care about a car in the desert. People go there all the time, nothing unusual.”  
“Okay. And if I find a bottle that has in huge letter POISON written on, I’ll tell you too.”  
“I doubt our killer will be that stupid but you never know. So yes. That would be perfect evidence.”  
“Do you know the profile of the killer?”  
“We have a really talented profiler in the LVPD, so yes, I know the profile of the killer.”  
“Do you agree with it?”  
“I’m in no position to say anything else.”  
“Oh come, Miss Sidle? Misses Sidle?”  
“What your steps, agent.” Sara got down on her knees, pointing her flashlight on a cigarette butt. Carefully she took it between her tweezers and lifted it up.  
“How do you know it’s important?”  
“I don’t.” She bagged it. “That’s the job of your CSI guys. Chances are high it has been left behind by somebody, who has nothing to do with the case. We’re around fifty yards of the crime scene away, so we’ll bag it and your people will find out, if it’s important or not”  
“Okay. How are will you go?”  
“We’ll turn. It’s dark, I’m sure your CSI guys will have a look around in the morning.”  
“What if I ask you to work with us?”  
“I’m sorry that’s not my job. My job was to confirm it’s our killer and wait for you guys to come around. I took a look around, that’s it. I’m not entitled to work the case.”  
“It has really pissed you off that we took over, hasn’t it?” He stopped and looked at her.   
Sara just raised an eyebrow and kept on walking. She wouldn’t answer this question. Tom had to hurry to keep up to her. There were a lot of people around the house. Sara handed her bag to a CSI of the FBI and told him, where she found the cigarette butt.   
“You took off again?” Nina came out of the house and stopped Sara from getting into her car.   
“I searched for evidence.”  
“Got lucky?”  
“Probably not. A cigarette butt, around fifty yards away from the house, chances are low it has anything to do with the case.”  
“Could belong to anybody.”  
“Yes. Can you tell me anything or do I have to wait for the officially report?”  
“No visible wounds, our coroner took her. The rest you’ve seen for yourself.”  
“Yes.”  
“Are you about to go back to the lab?”  
“No, we’ve a big crime scene and I’ll join the rest of the team. Is Sofia still here?”  
“She left ten minutes ago.”  
“Nina, can you tell me if this lady has a first name…no, let me rephrase the question.” He smiled. “Can you tell me her first name?”  
“Why don’t you ask her yourself?”  
“I tried. I also asked her if she is Miss or Misses Sidle and didn’t get an answer.”  
“In that case it seems like she doesn’t want you to know. I’m sorry, I can’t help you here, Tom.”  
“Bugger. One more chance, CSI Sidle?” He cocked his head.   
“I’m afraid you lost again. I won, whitewash. I’ll see you later, Nina.”  
“Don’t forget to go home on time.” Nina smirked.   
Sara rolled her eyes and got into her car. Time to see her colleagues and leave the crime, she weren’t suppose to work. 

Sara had been sent back to the lab after her regular shift. Her friends and colleagues were still on the scene and it looked like they had to stay a few more hours. To Grissom’s surprise she didn’t argue when he sent her back. What he didn’t know was, Sara went into the lab and started to look at the evidence, she got from the blue rose killer.   
She developed the photos, scanned finger prints and started to let them run through AIFIS. She was comparing the skid marks from her crime scene today with the ones, she found at the other scenes when somebody grabbed her hips.   
“What the…”  
“You are not suppose to be here!” Jules was behind her. Of course, the profiler had started her day a few minutes ago. Knowing Sara, she checked first if her friend was still in the lab.  
“I left the scene, being in the lab is like being at home.”  
“Do you want to fight with me?”  
“Do you want to baby me?”  
“You’re here under special circumstances. If you don’t keep the rules, you’ll stay another week at home.”  
“You’re endangering our friendship, Jules.”  
“If I can safe your health this way, I’ll risk it.”  
“So I see she’s always this charming.” Both women turned around. Nina and Tom were at the door, watching Sara and Jules fight.   
“And who are you?” Jules asked.  
“Agent Silverton. Doctor Weinberg, I assume.”  
“You assume right.” Jules looked at Nina.   
“I think we don’t have to pretend we don’t know each other. Agent Silverton knows I’m a friend of our CSI here.” Nina blinked at Sara. She hadn’t told her colleague Sara’s name, so the brunette was still only the CSI.   
“Okay. Can we do something for you?”  
“You can, yes. I’m here to ask you to work with me. I’d like to compare your profile to mine. The FBI would like to have your help, Jules.”  
“Okay, no problem. I’ve everything in my office. What’s about him?”   
“He’s my trainee. If it’s alright with you, he’ll be there and learn.”  
“Again, no problem. I just have to send somebody home.” Jules’ attention got back to Sara.   
“Why can’t you just do what you were asked to do and let me worry about myself?”  
“You stay here and I will not only tell agent Silverton your name but also everything else he wants to know about.”  
“Bitch.” Sara trusted the photos of the skid marks in Jules’ hand and left the office. 

Sara ignored the closed sign and opened the door. In her hands were two coffees and two slices of cake. She closed the door with her foot and put coffee and cake without words on the desk in front of her. Then she dropped on the chair.   
“Peace offer.”  
“Taken.” Jules smiled, got up and sat on Sara’s lap. “You’re really an awful stubborn bitch, you know?”  
“I know that the next peace offer is on you, Doc.”  
“There’s no need for a peace offer if you say the truth.” Jules kissed Sara. “And I am right. We don’t send you home because we want to annoy you, we worry.”  
“I know. Jules, I feel fine, there’s no pain, nothing. It has been three weeks that I got shot, there’s a little scar, that’s it. I can work.”  
“I know that you can work, but it’s better to start slow. If you overdo it, you’ll have to go back to hospital and no matter how much you like Shane, you don’t want to spend some more time there. Instead of risking your work keep a low profile for a week or two and then you can go on like before. I promise, if you don’t do any overtime until the end of next week, I’ll stop annoying you. Deal?”  
“Deal.” Sara embraced Jules. She knew her friend was right. “And Shane and me are only friends.”  
“I didn’t say anything else, only that you like him.”  
“I do. But don’t plan him as a partner for me, okay? He has a girlfriend.”  
“He has a girlfriend and spends the evening with you?”  
“He spent his evening with us, not with me alone. She’s in San Diego, a student.”  
“Long distance relationship. Awful.”  
“That’s what he says, but she likes her university there and it’s too fresh to think of a change to Las Vegas. They’re together since four months. If they’ll be together for a longer period one of them will move.”  
“Okay, I’ll delete him from my ‘a lover for Sara list’ and look for somebody else. What about this hot blonde, who hit on you last week when we were in the club?”  
“No.”  
“Why not?”  
“She hit on half a dozen other women too.”  
“Argh, somebody who can’t make up her mind and has to try everybody. No, that’s nobody for you. We need somebody trustful.”  
“Or I’ll stay single a little bit longer. You know, I don’t necessary need a relationship.”  
“I know.” A huge smile appeared on Jules’ face. “What about this agent? Tom, who still doesn’t know your name. Why didn’t you tell him your name, by the way?”  
“Not his business.”  
“It could be his business.”  
“Jules, do you plan to talk me into a relationship with every man I talked to? I also talked to the man behind the counter when I bought coffee and cake, I said hello to the woman at the reception downstairs and the security man, I met in the elevator. Shall we think of them for me as a partner too?”  
Jules laughed. “Okay, I got you. No clerk, no reception woman, no security guard and no agent.”  
“He’s a Fed, he’s the enemy.” Sara chuckled.  
“Don’t tell that my girlfriend.”  
“Nina above that. Not telling him my name was my way to stay in control. The Feds took over the case, they’ve the control there, that’s enough.”  
“He’s a funny guy. Joined the FBI two years ago, was an agent and wants to be more so he starts to learn what he has to know as a profiler.”  
“Don’t you need to have some kind of basis as a profiler?”  
“Yes. He studied psychology but changed then to become an agent. He’s still not sure what he likes more, so he checks out the job as a profiler.”  
“He wasn’t able to get into my head.”  
“It’s a stubborn head with very thick walls, it’s not that easy to get inside there.”  
“You walked in there like all doors and windows are open.”  
“I’m special.” Jules started to feed Sara with cake.   
“True. Did you and Nina find anything out while you worked together? Any new clues?”  
“We agree on the profile, no surprise there. As far as I know the woman was poisoned, same poison again. She drank it, it was in her coffee. The FBI found traces in the thermo.”  
“Any prints on the thermo?”  
“Only of the victim.”  
“Who could get her hands on your thermo?” Sara asked theoretical.   
“Beside my partner, and she was a single, nobody.”  
“Natalie was a cleaner…” Sara hated to bring this woman up.   
“Yes, our victims here didn’t have cleaners. Not all of them.”  
“There must be something they have in common.”  
“The killer.”  
“Yes. Beside the killer. With the miniature killer it was bleach, Paul Millander, the first serial killer I had in Vegas, picked his vics by their birthday. Sometimes it’s only the gender, sometimes it’s…the toes. We had a guy who started as a rapist and ended as a killer. He chose his victims because of their feet.”  
“There are four dozen people working on the case, one dozen looks for things the victims have in common. So far there’s nothing. What Nina and I thought of today…” Jules stopped.   
“What is it?”  
“Our killer knows who to kill and leaves no traces. She knows that it makes it almost impossible for us to find her when she picks her vic randomly, without a real connection. And she left when the FBI got involved. At one point today, we thought of a killer, who works in the law enforcement.”  
“Makes sense.” And it was the last thing Sara wanted to think of. A serial killer in their own line. 

“You look like you want to go to work.” Sara let her eyes run up and down Sofia, who was in her usual suit for work. It was only half past five, too early for the blonde to go back to work.   
“I’ll meet Brian and go from there to work. No need to change if I wear already the right things.”  
“What a waste of time when you lose all these things within five minute with your lover.” Sara smirked.   
“I won’t.” Sofia sat on her chair. She hadn’t spent much time on Sara’s balcony since she was with Brian. The work, the new relationship, it all needed time. Time, she spent with Sara a few months ago.   
“Do I spend too much time with Brian?”  
“What?” Sara was confused. What kind of question was that?   
“Do I spend too much time with Brian? I mean, a few months ago I practically lived on your balcony, in your apartment and now I’m away most times.”  
“Sofia, you’ve a relationship, you’re in love, of course you want to spend time with him. Jules and Greg are also not that often here anymore.”  
“Yes, we left you alone.”  
“Do I look lonely?”   
Sofia looked for a few seconds at Sara. “Actually you look relaxed right now. Do you enjoy having more time for yourself?”  
“If I agree it sounds like you guys annoyed me, that’s not the case. Yes, I do enjoy having some time for myself. I don’t work overtime, I sleep more, I don’t have nightmares, even after the blue rose killer is back, I try to give my body some rest so that I can go back to one hundred percent in two weeks. The time for myself gives me the opportunity to think of my life, to think of what I want to do. I’m happy when you guys come along, I love spending time with you, but I don’t have any problems being alone.”  
“Okay.” Sofia put her hand on Saras. “I enjoy the time I spend with Brian, but I also want to spend some time with you. With you alone. Do you think we can arrange a night out the next time we both have a day off?”  
“Doesn’t Brian want you in his bed then?”  
“You know how awful it is when you have one night off, try to sleep that night and have to go back to work the next. I prefer not to lose my rhythm. He can see me in the evening, I send him to bed, we go out, it’s Vegas, so everything is open and in the morning when he wakes up, he can meet us for breakfast and go to work while we go to bed.”  
“A show on the Strip, a night movie in a cinema, some drinks, food and breakfast close to his veterinary office. I’d like to see the animals, he has there.”  
“That sounds like a deal. Next Thursday?”  
“I’ll let Grissom know I’d like that night off.”  
“And I’ll do the same with Brass.” Sofia looked at her watch. “I’ve to go. Enjoy your time for yourself and if you start to feel lonely, give me a call, we can meet for a drink somewhere. I’m sure Brian doesn’t mind to see you, he likes you.” Sofia kissed Sara’s cheeks.   
“Okay, but I think, I’ll stay home alone.”  
“Whatever suits you best. Maybe until later.”  
“Later, detective.”

The first week of work was over. At least for Sara. She was five minutes away from finishing off her shift. Together with Greg she had solved a burglary this night and brought around one hundred thousand dollar in diamonds back to their owner. Not too bad for the end of the week.   
“Two nights off, excited?” Greg teased with a smile.  
“Absolutely. I can’t remember the last time I had two nights off. Oh wait, it was last week, I had a little bit more than two nights off. What about you? Happy to work another night?”  
“Of course. But I’m happier to have tomorrow night off because I’ve a date. Dinner date.”  
“Somebody special?” Sara smirked. She was his date. They wanted to spend some time together. Alone. Janet was with her parents until midnight, it was the best opportunity for them. Like she had planed with Sofia, she wanted to have some time with Greg alone. She had the same plans for Jules, but this plan had to wait until they make their trip to Red Rock Canyon.   
“Yes, she’s very special.”  
“What will Janet say about this date?”  
“She says it’s good that I’ve something to do. She doesn’t mind when I meet this hot brunette. My girlfriend trusts me.”  
“You or your date?”  
“Both of us.”  
“Good to know.”  
“Do you have any plans for your two nights off?”  
“Yes. Tonight I’ll rent half a dozen movies, get a huge bucket of popcorn, sodas, chocolate and have a girlie movie night. All the classic movies, that make women cry.”  
“Sounds like torture…can I join you for one?”  
“Do you want to suffer?”  
“As a good friend I can’t let you suffer alone. Beside, I like it when women take my arms because they need some comfort during heartbreaking movies.”  
“All you want is to have women in your arms, you don’t care about the movies, about their story, the drama and…”  
“They’ve a lead!” Grissom called into the room while he rushed through the hallway.   
“What?” Sara looked irritated at Greg. “Who has a lead?”  
“The FBI? Grissom isn’t nervous for any case, it has to be something special and the most special case is the blue rose killer.”   
“True. Follow him!” Forgotten was her thoughts of going home. Any leads of the blue rose killer was better than going home.  
They caught up with Grissom in the little lay out room, where they left their evidence of the blue rose killer. Cath, Nick and Warrick were there too.  
“They’ve got the killer?” Sara asked.  
“Do they know who the killer is?” Warrick added.   
“No. but they managed to get a match of cars. There were a witness in case number three, who saw the same car like a witness for the last victim. Black Sedan, 2006, license plates started the same. In both cases this car was seen in the area around the murder, in both cases the car hasn’t been there before.”  
“Anything of the driver?” A car was a start, but a description of the driver would help them more.  
“Not that I know of.”  
“Who called you? Agent Copper?” Cath was surprised that the FBI shared their news with them. Were they serious about the work together thing? Or did they know much more and all they gave LVPD were nothing more than crumbs?  
“An agent Silverton? And he said something about a mysterious brunette, who were right about the cigarette butt. It didn’t help them.” He looked at Sara. “Could it be that you’re this brunette?”  
“Yes.” She had to chuckle. “I didn’t tell him my first name, not his business. No surprise on the cigarette butt, but very nice that he shared the news.”  
“You have left an impression.”  
“Looks like. He works with Nina.”  
“So we’ll get some information from her and Jules later. I understood, Jules works with the FBI.”  
“Yes, they’re both working on the profile.”  
“So you know all the details.”  
“No.”  
“Not? Since when has Jules any secrets from you?”  
“Always when it involves her job.”  
“If you had been nice to this agent, he might have told you all the details.” Nick complained. “Now he won’t tell you anything.”  
“Even if you know what they know, you can’t do anything. It’s not our case anymore. I’m not sure if we would solve the case, we’ll get any applause. Probably we’d get trouble.” She looked at Grissom.  
“No investigation of the LVPD. Only if the FBI asks for it. We can see the scene to make sure, it belongs to the serial killer, we can’t investigate. We can be happy that you could keep the photos and fingerprints.”  
“So what will we do now?” Warrick wanted to do something.   
“We can only wait if the request our help or if they’ll tell us what they find out. That’s it. I wanted to give you all the heads up about the new lead, now it’s time to go back to work if you have anything urgent. Otherwise time to go home, Sara.”  
“Yes, I know.” She rolled her eyes.   
“Two nights off, we’ll see you back here on Monday night.”  
“I got you. Greg, do you come with me?”  
“Sorry, I’ve a breakfast date with Janet.”  
“Love is in the air.” Cath started to sing. “Will there be a wedding, Greggo?”  
“One day, yes. Not today, not this month, not this year. Sorry Cath, you’ve to wait.”  
“What a pity.”   
“I’ll see you guys later.” Sara walked back to the locker room and changed. There was a lead. Maybe they were able to get the killer until the end of the day.   
She checked her watch and made the decision, she had some time for a little detour. Instead of going back home, she walked to the police department. The FBI had a whole story for themselves.   
Without that anybody tried to stop her she arrived at Nina’s office. For a second she thought of walking on. She didn’t want any trouble for Nina and after they had a lead, the profiler could be somewhere out, checking out suspects. Before she had the chance to knock on the door, the got opened. It wasn’t Nina, who opened the door, but agent Silverton.   
“The unknown CSI.”  
“Not unknown, the name is written on my vest.”  
“True. No first name.”  
“There is one. Anyway, I want to see Nina if that’s possible.”  
“She isn’t here.”  
“Where is she?”  
“You give me an answer and I’ll give you one.”  
Sara snorted. “Nice try. Doesn’t work. I can call her on her cell.”  
“I could threat you with telling my boss you’re here and the trouble you and Nina might get, but that’s not my style. Besides, I don’t want you or her in trouble. That’s why I try to have this fair exchange of information.”  
“And I’ve the cell phone number, I don’t really need your help, agent.”  
“You don’t show a tiny little bit of willingness to accommodate, do you?”  
“No.” Her cell phone rang. “Yes?”  
“You’re not home yet.”  
“It’s like I’m on my way, mom.”  
“Change it to you are on your way.”  
“Yes mom.”  
“If I see you in the lab or the department you’ll be in serious trouble.”  
“Yes mom.”  
“I leave my department now.”  
“With or without your better half?”  
“With.”  
“Okay. I’ll see you later.” Sara closed her cell phone and smiled. “I don’t need your answer anymore, I know everything I want to know. Goodbye.”  
“Why does your mother know where Nina is?”  
“You should know by now that I don’t answer your questions, agent. Have a good day.”  
“One day I’ll get an answer, Sidle. One day.”  
“Today isn’t one day.” Sara turned and walked away. Okay, she couldn’t get any answers from Nina, the profile wasn’t involved yet. Or she got all the information to her apartment and had worked with Jules there. It looked like Sara had to wait. 

“Any news?” Sara sat on Sofia’s bed. The blonde was about to put on some socks.   
“No. I called Brass already. Either the Feds don’t share or they don’t have anything yet. What does Jules say?”  
“I haven’t talked to her yet.”  
“Change it…if she can tell you something.”  
“I’m sure she could, but she isn’t allowed to.”  
“The question is, does she bend the rules for you?”  
“Well, Misses Miller, you should know.” Sara grinned.   
“Not a bit.”  
“Exactly. A reason why I like her so much.”  
“You love her.”  
“True. And you’re up for your dinner with Brian?”  
“Yes. I think I’m in love, Sara.” Sofia’s face lightened up.   
“You certainly look like that. I’m glad you are and I hope, you’ll be happy for a very, very long time. But I don’t think Brian is one of these men, who want some fun and not a serious relationship. He wants to stay with you for a long, long time. You can see it in the way he looks at you.”  
“I hope so. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy with somebody.”  
“Keep it, enjoy it.”  
“I will; but I feel a little bit guilty because I’m this happy and you’re…alone.”  
“I’m fine. Go and have a nice evening with Brian.” Sara got up. “I’ll get my movies.”  
“Shall I give you a lift?”  
“No, I’ll walk.”  
“Okay. Shall we have breakfast together?”  
“If you’re not booked already.”  
“No.”  
“Then we’ll have a date for tomorrow morning.” Sara hugged Sofia. “You deserve to be happy, Sofia.” She whispered in the blonde’s ear.   
“Thanks. I hope you’ll find somebody special too.”  
“There are some really special people in my life already. You are one of them, Sofia.” Sara blinked at her friend and left the room.

“Do you have any news for me?” Sara thought she could ask Jules for some information about the case, if her friend said, she couldn’t tell her anything, she didn’t lose anything. It was worth a try.   
“Where are you?”  
“On my way back with a bag full of chick flicks.”  
“You visited your usually video shop?”  
“Yes.”  
“Make a little detour to the coffee shop two streets east of West Tropicana. The one with the bears.”  
“I’ll be there in five.” She closed her cell phone. Jules was out, having a coffee. Even better. Sara didn’t have a coffee after she got up and when she walked to this coffee shop, she was only blocks away from a shop that made donuts to die for. And she could get a huge basket of the best popcorn there too.   
She sent Greg a message that she wanted to start the first movie in around one hour to give him some time to get ready. He should be awake until then.   
“No more clients for today?” Sara sat on the other side of the table. Jules had picked a quiet table in a corner, it took Sara a few moments to find her.   
“No, the last one called and told me, she doesn’t need me. Misses Miller seems to be healthy and in no need for a psychologist anymore.” Jules smiled. Sofia had told her a few days ago, that she was fine and Jules didn’t need to wait for her. She wanted to meet her friend in their favorite swimming pool on Monday for a little work out and some time to talk.   
“She found out that sex is better than talking.”  
“Depends on with whom you have sex and with whom you talk. Or do you think any sex is better than an evening with me, that we spend talking?”  
“Okay, your point. But she has sex with her boyfriend, is in love and over the moon.”  
“Yes she is and it suits her. It’s good to see her happy – finally.”  
“That’s what I told her earlier today. Talking about talk, what can you tell me about the case? Any news? Any good leads on the Sedan?”  
“Let me think of what they wrote in the report to LVPD…around fifty people of interest will be visited and talked to. Nobody is from special interested, they only stood out of the rest because they fit – at least in some ways – the profile. The FBI won’t visit an eighty years old man, who is blind on one eye and need crutches.”  
“Makes sense. But, if this eight years old man has a daughter or granddaughter, who borrows the car all the time, they’ll never find her.”  
“I’m sure they’ll talk to all car owner. And don’t forget, it’s only a lead, it’s not like they’re sure, the Sedan is the car of the killer. It was there twice, it could be coincidence. After all, the victims lived all over the city and people do travel a lot. Maybe we’ll get lucky, maybe we have to wait a little bit longer.”  
Sara grinned at Jules.  
“What? Do I have something between my teeth?”  
“No. But first you talked like you’re with the LVPD and have nothing to do with the FBI. At the end you changed from their to we. You start to feel like a Fed.”  
“I’m involved with a Fed, I work with them at the moment. Any problems with that?”  
“No. I just wanted to mention it. So there’s nothing new you can tell me? Like any secret information?”  
“If there are secret information I won’t tell you because they are secret. Besides, you’re off duty, you shouldn’t think of work.”  
“Very funny. Will you call me if they catch her?”  
“Of course. But right now I can’t give you more.”  
“Okay. Thanks for the heads up anyway. And now tell me, where is Nina?”  
“My best guess is: working. We’ve a dinner appointment with my parents in half an hour, so she better makes sure she’ll be there on time. You know how my mother is with her food. She asked, if you don’t want to come along any time soon.”  
“Tell her next time if I don’t have to work.” Sara and Jules’ mother had gone alone very good and Sara always liked a chat with the mother of her best friend.   
“And why were you looking for Nina this morning?”  
Sara laughed. “Did agent Silverton squeal?”  
“Yes.”  
“Does he know my name by now?”  
“Neither Nina nor I have told him your name. You know it’s only a phone call for him to get your name?”  
“Yes I know. So does he. His problem is, he wants me to tell him my name. Must be an ego thing or what does the psychologist suggest?”  
“An ego thing, a flirty thing, a little fun aside. He’s a funny guy.”  
“But?”  
“I didn’t say but.”  
“I can hear the but in your sentence even when you don’t say them.”  
“But I doubt he’ll be a good profiler. And I don’t think he enjoys it as much as he enjoys being an agent.”  
“Does he know already?”  
“I think he has an idea. He’ll find out by the end of this case. When his boss asks him if he wants to change from agent to profiler. Back to university versus out in the fields. Study versus fun.”  
“You picked the study. First to become a psychologist, then to become a therapist and doctor and finally to become a profiler.”  
“I like studying, I like learning new things. If there would be any time, I’d start to learn a language now. I’ll have a closer look into Spanish when the new term in the evening school starts. Do you want to join me?”  
“Uhm…if I can do that just for fun and not to become fluent in Spanish. It can’t hurt to improve my language skills, often enough we’re involved with people, who speak no English at all.”  
“Tell me about it. Look who just entered the room. And they always say women are late. I’m afraid you’ve to be the host, I need to go otherwise my mom will kill me and you don’t want that.”   
Sara turned to see who had entered the room. She sighed when she saw the agent. Profiler. Or whatever he was. Wanted to be.   
“Sorry I’m late.”  
“You’re not late, you’re too late. I’ve to go, my mom is waiting. If you’re lucky you’ll have some company for a coffee, otherwise you have to drink your coffee alone or learn to be on time. You’re not a woman, not a doctor, you’re not suppose to be late.” She blinked at him. “I’ll see you tomorrow…no, I’ve tomorrow off. Lucky me. Sunday. That means I can have a date with this beautiful brunette. Dinner?”  
“Sorry, already taken.”  
“Bugger. Okay, if I don’t come around, I’ll give you a call. Enjoy your night with the chick flicks.” She kissed Sara and hugged her.   
“Thanks. Say hello to your parents and your better half.”  
“I hope she’s there. I won’t rescue her. Bye-bye beauties.”  
Sara watched her friend until she was out of sight. Then she turned to the agent, who was watching her.   
“What?”  
“I try to figure something out.”  
“What’s that?”  
“If I want to ask again for your name or if I give up.”  
“And?”  
“I don’t like giving up easily. So, if I buy you a new coffee and…cake? Will you tell me your name?”  
“No.”  
“Okay, I try it in another way: what do I have to do that you’ll tell me your name?”  
“You have to earn that information.”  
“Alright. Tell me what I’ve to do.”  
“Tell me about the case. And I don’t mean the boring things, that are written in the report. How close are you really to the killer? Are you close at all or do you guys in your fine suits and all this great education have no clue at all where and who the killer is?”  
He smirked. “Nice try. I’ll call you CSI Sidle.”  
“So you don’t really want to know my name.”  
“Not under this condition.”  
“Your boss will be proud of you.”  
“Of course. Okay, shall I bring you another coffee or will you leave because you don’t like me and don’t want to have a coffee with me?”  
“That’s a cheap trick, didn’t you learn better when you studied psychology? Ask Jules or Nina to tell you some better tricks.”  
“Is there anything I do good enough for you?”  
“Yeah, you’re a pretty good flashlight holder.”  
“Wow, a start. Coffee?”  
“Black.” Sara leant back. Maybe she was a little bit harsh, agent Silverton only tried to be nice. After all, she was the one who could use him to get information – in an not that obvious way like before – and not the other way around. He knew more than she did. Maybe this was the reason she was that harsh.   
“There you go. I didn’t get you a big one so you can leave sooner and don’t have to spend too much time with me.”  
“Now you’re pouting, you’re too old for that, agent.”  
“Tom. And I don’t pout.”  
She smirked and took a sip of coffee.   
“What movies do you have in your bag?” He pointed on her bag.   
“Chick flicks.”  
“Like?”  
“Like Titanic, Pretty Woman, Harry and Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, Dirty Dancing and Better than chocolate.”  
“I don’t know the last one.”  
“That doesn’t surprise me.”  
“Why? Am I not smart enough?”  
“No, you don’t have the right gender. It’s a movie about women, only women. No men involved.”  
“But chocolate?”  
“Yes. At least a bit.”  
“Comedy? Drama? Or just romantic?”  
“A funny romantic comedy with some scene that makes you think. And yes, I watched it already. I watched them all several times.”  
“When Titanic was in the cinemas, I watched it ten times.”  
“You did what?” He was the first man Sara met who admitted that he had watched Titanic in cinema without making it clear, his girlfriend had forced him. That he watched this movie ten times was more than all women, Sara knew, did.   
He flushed a bit. “I like it. And it based on a real event, what makes it even more moving.”  
“A sissy.”  
“There’s a movie called Sissi about the later Austrian Queen, also very nice and a chick flick.”  
“So you’re into chick flicks or your girlfriend just forces you to watch them all?”  
“I like movies about people, who really existed, about things, that really happened. And I prefer the movies without a lot of blood. The more blood and gunfire they use, the more they try to hide that their movie has no storyline and is only brainless shit.”  
“Interesting theory.”  
“Thanks. I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me so far.”  
Sara had to laugh. “I’m not famous for being very friendly.”  
“Which is a pity. You seem to be so nice and I kind of doubt that Jules and Nina are friend with somebody unkind.”  
“They should know my real character otherwise they should look for another job.”  
“And they are really good in their jobs.”  
“Yes they are.” Sara finished her coffee.   
“Now you’re free to go.”  
“Which is good because I want to start my movie marathon in half an hour.”  
“In that case enjoy your movies. With six movies you’ll busy the whole night.”  
“That’s the plan.” Sara cocked her head and smirked. “Would you like to join me for a movie, you don’t know?” Maybe she could make up for being unkind this way. Jules and Nina both liked him, he couldn’t be too bad. And she didn’t want to be the old grumpy Sara, who tried to keep people out of her life. So far Tom had been more than fair to her while she was exactly the other way around.   
“No. I don’t join women to their place when I don’t know their name. Mom always said, don’t go home with strangers.”  
“Your first point, Tom.”  
“Thanks. You won the game already.”  
“I give you the chance of a replay.”  
“I like challenges. So what’s the score?”  
“One - nil.”  
“Wow, I’m ahead.”  
“Lead one – nil and lose you will.”  
“Which gives you another point and we’re even.”  
“Yes.” She offered him her hand. “Sara.”  
“Tom.” He smiled.   
“I don’t make offer twice but you can still change your mind, as you found out, sometimes I give people a second chance. Giving you the second one, you have one more and then it’s over. There won’t be more than three.”  
“Means I’ve to take it if I want to join you and shouldn’t fool around and get you offering me a movie with you again. And I lead two – one, I want to win this game tonight, that means, I’ve to join you to get my third point.” He finished his coffee.   
They left the coffee shop.   
“Shall I get anything?”  
“We’ll make a little detour to a shop with the best popcorn in Vegas.”  
“Sweets Sensation.”  
“You know the shop?” She didn’t know he was from Vegas. He had to be, the shop was good, it was famous in Vegas but she doubted, it was famous over the border of Sin City. He had to be a Vegas man.  
“Vegas born and bred.”  
“No import of Quantico.”  
“No, I went there and came back. I’m based in Vegas, like Nina.”  
“That’s why you know where you get the best popcorn.”  
“And donuts to die for.”  
Sara stopped and looked at him. “Now you’re scary.” That were her words before.   
“Why?”  
“That was what I thought when Jules told me to come over for a coffee. Donuts to die for and the best popcorn in town.”  
“Looks like we finally have something in common. I think we both deserve a point for that.”  
“You won’t win if you’ve three points and I’ve two. You need a two points gap.”  
“You never mentioned this rule.”  
“It’s common knowledge.” Sara grinned. And that brought her a point. Or at least half of a point. 

“When was the last time we did something like this?” Greg’s eyes laid softly on Sara.   
“A long, long time ago. But you still look good in a tuxedo, Greg.”   
“You look beautiful in your dress, Sara.” They were out on their dinner, both dressed up. It was a three course menu with piano music, very old fashioned, very strict on the dress code and very formal. Most people were in the fifties and sixties, only a few younger couples were there. Sara guessed at least one these men around her would pop out the question to their girlfriends tonight. It was the perfect place to ask somebody to get married.   
“Will you take Janet to a place like this when you ask her to marry you?”  
“What?” He looked surprised at his friend. “What makes you think I’ll ask her to marry me?”  
“I didn’t say in the near future, Greg.”  
“There won’t be a wedding in the near future and if there’ll be a wedding, it will be because she has asked me. I’m not old-fashioned, I don’t belong to the people who think, the man has to ask the woman. I think women are perfect capable of asking the man too.”  
“That’s true but it’s not the tradition.”  
“What brings us back to the point that I’m not old-fashioned; even if it looks like that in the moment.”  
“It does. With your tuxedo you look like a gentleman from fifty years ago. Like you were one of Frankie’s boys.”  
“I’m sure if I had been alive at that time, Frank and me would have been friends.”  
“And of course you were involved with the mob as a big fan of Vegas and it’s history. Maybe you would have written a part of Vegas history too.”  
“I do it know by being a good CSI, catching bad people and make Vegas a safer place, where people can have fun.”  
“That doesn’t fit to the mob.”  
“I know, times have changed. What about you?”  
“Me? What should be with me?” Sara wasn’t interested in the history of Las Vegas or the story behind the mob. She lived in the present, not in the past. Sure, the past had interesting stories, but she preferred to read about new things, that could change her life now or tomorrow.  
“Yes. Tom.”  
“Oh Tom. Nothing.” Greg had met Tom yesterday when they watched movies. Or the men watched one movie, then Greg had to get ready for work and Tom went home. He didn’t know if he could sleep the night or if he got called out to a new crime scene. So Sara was on her own with the last five movies.   
“He likes you.”  
“He likes Jules and Nina too.”  
“Unfortunately for him they are deeply in love and he has no chance while you are free and very available.”  
“I am not very available. I’m single and I’m happy with that.”  
“Your friends want you happy and in love and thinking of marriage and children and…”  
“Stop it right there, Greg or you’ll have to finish this dinner alone. Understood?”  
“You’re bitchy again.”  
“I’m a bitch; one of the bitches. As my friend you are allowed talk about my private life to a certain line, don’t cross that line. Agent Silverton seems to be a nice guy for a Fed, I invited him because I thought it could be fun and I wasn’t very nice to him before. That’s it. When the case is over and we don’t work with the FBI anymore, I won’t see him any longer.”  
“He is Vegas based, you could see him.”  
“Why?”  
“Because he’s a nice and funny guy? I wouldn’t mind if he joins us every now and then on a night out. FBI or not, I’m sure he knows some good stories and it doesn’t hurt to know somebody, who is with the FBI. We’ve Nina, if we know an agent too, it might be helpful one day.”  
“You want to use him?”  
“No. He didn’t behave like an idiot yesterday and we had people joining us on nights out, that were less fun. All I say, I don’t mind if he wants to join us when we go out. I’m sure he has his own friends, but there’s nothing wrong with being friendly to him.”  
“Okay.” Greg sipped on his wine. “He didn’t say anything stupid while we watched the movie, that’s something that speaks for him.” Greg had watched movies about gay couple with friends, who had made fun of the movie or talked stupid things the whole time. Tom was quiet, watched and didn’t seem to be overexcited because two women were kissing.   
“Yes, we had that different.”  
“Does he know about Nina and Jules?”  
“He wants to be a profiler, if he doesn’t sense the tensions between them, he should think about another job. Even as an agent, it should be obvious, they are in love.” Nina and Jules didn’t hold hands, kissed or called each other pet names when they were at work, but the way they looked at each other made it very clear, they were more than friends; at least Sara saw that very clear.   
“And our detective is on a happy vibe, she can’t get the smile out of her face and her eyes are shinning the whole time like of a child in front of the Christmas tree.”  
“Yes.” Sara smiled. Everybody had noticed how happy Sofia was.   
“The only downside is, I don’t see my roomer that often anymore. The times, when we had breakfast together, are over. Now she has breakfast with Brian and dinner too. I think I’ve to ask for one day per week we see each other otherwise I’ll lose her out of sight one day.”  
“You’re overplaying, Greg. Yes, she spends a lot of time with Brian, so do you with Janet. Brian can’t just leave his place for a few nights, he has a few animals around, he has to take care of. So it’s easier for them to meet there. But I’m sure if you ask her to have a day per week with you for breakfast and dinner, she’ll be more than happy to say yes. She feels guilty already for being away all the time. I tried to talk that out of her head.”  
“I want her happy, I just miss her. As I miss our old times. I’m glad we’re all happy right now, but sometimes I miss our old times, when we all singles and went out for some crazy nights.”  
“It was a great time, but times change, we have a new situation now and I think, we’re all happy with this situation too. And nothings stops us from going out, only the four of us, and have a crazy night again. You and Jules only have to remember to keep on your pants.”  
“That sounds like we had sex all the time when we went out, that’s not true. We just had some more…intimately fun than you and Sofia. Or did you…?”  
“No!”   
“But you were close to do it.”  
“Yes.” She had told Greg some things about her and Sofia, not everything but he knew, there had been something between them and they hadn’t been too far from being a couple.  
“How close?”  
“Not your business, puppy.”  
“Come on, you can tell the puppy. Why did you say no?”  
“What makes you think I said no?”  
“You’re too sensible.”  
“And Sofia isn’t?”  
“I think Sofia thought she was in love with you because she trusted you and wanted a relationship with somebody like you. At that moment she didn’t think, she wanted somebody and you were the perfect somebody.”  
“She’s happy with Brian.”  
“Yes, but she would have been happy with you too. For a while. Until she found out, she loved you as a friend, the same you and Jules realized.”  
“Are you a CSI or a psychologist?”  
“I spend some time with profiler, I learnt.” His cell phone rang quietly. With an apologetic look at Sara he checked the text message. She saw right away that something had happened because the easy smile on his face was gone.   
“What is it?”  
“I think we need to end the dinner.”  
“Why?”  
“I’ve got a text from Sofia, the Feds got a suspect. In custody.”  
“The blue rose killer?”  
“Maybe.”  
“We can have dinner another night.”  
“We’ll lose a lot of money.”  
“Yeah, but we’ll get crazy when we sit here and eat while they have the killer. Or maybe have the killer.”  
“Do you think we get a doggy bag?”  
“When we tell them you’re a puppy and I’m a bitch, they’ll give us a doggy bag.”  
“Sure?”  
“Yes. You?”  
“Absolutely.” They got up and walked to the waiter, who was in charge for the wine. After an explanation that they were with the LVPD and got called in, the waiter agreed on the doggy bags. They couldn’t take their food with them right away because it wasn’t cooked, but he promised, they would deliver it to LVPD.   
In Greg’s car they drove to LVPD and got directly to the elevator, that brought them up to the level of the FBI. They expected to see the rest of their shift, but it looked like they were the only ones. Only Sofia was there, drinking a coffee.   
“Where is the rest?” Sara asked.  
“They’ve cases and can’t come. We need to keep them posted.”  
“How comes you’re here?”  
“I came back from a case when Nina called me. She knew the two of you were out for dinner and didn’t want to disturb you. I thought, you’ll hate it more when we don’t tell you what is going on; even if you lost a great deal of money.”  
“They’ll deliver our food to here, we didn’t lose too much money.”  
“So, who is the suspect?” Sara wasn’t interested in her food, she wanted details.  
“His name is…”  
“His?” She interrupted Sofia.   
“Yes, any problem with that?”  
“Both, Jules and Nina, have said we’re dealing with a female killer.”  
“Well, you know I think highly of them, but at the moment it looks like they were wrong. At least the suspect the FBI brought in, is a man.”  
“Are Jules and Nina here?”  
“Yes, they’re in the observation room.”  
“Can we go there too?”  
“I haven’t tried yet, wanted to wait for you guys.”   
“Let’s have a try.”  
They walked to the observation room. If they had expected to come into an overfilled room, they were proofed wrong. Nina, Jules, Tom and only four more agents were in the room, watching a man through the mirror.   
“Detective Curtis and CSI Sidle and Sanders, what are you doing here?” Agent Copper appeared from a dark corner.   
“We thought we can have a look at the suspect.” Sofia answered.   
“This isn’t a LVPD investigation.”  
“We didn’t say we want to ask him question, we only want to watch what your guys will talk with him.”  
“You try to interfere and you’ll be in trouble. Understood?”  
“Yes.”  
“Good.” Agent Copper’s eyes fell on a man in a suit, who entered the interrogation room. “Finally.” He nodded to another agent and both left the room to appear again in the interrogation room.  
“The suspect lawyered up?”  
“Yes.” Tom’s eyes were on the interrogating room. Jules moved to Sara.   
“I didn’t want to interrupt your dinner.” She whispered.   
“You know I don’t sit there and eat when they’ve a suspect in custody.”  
The eyes of the psychologist found Saras and Sara saw, Jules didn’t believe that the man behind the mirror was the killer.   
“Male.”  
“Yes.”  
They listened to the conversation on the other side of the mirror. The agents tried to get any information out of the man, but he let his lawyer talk, who denied that his client had anything to do with a murder case.   
Sara hadn’t heard Sofia’s cell phone but when the blonde started to curse quietly, she got her attention to her friend. Was she called to another scene and didn’t want to leave?   
“Go, we call you if anything happens.”  
“Something did happen.” She held her cell phone so that Sara could read the message. 419 with BR. A body with a blue rose. If the body wasn’t dead for a few hours, their suspect had a really good alibi.   
“I think I just ended my day off.” Sara looked at Greg.   
“I’ll stay here and keep you posted. Tell Grissom you’re on your way.”  
“Of course. Detective?”  
“You’ve two minutes to get your kit. Do you guys get Copper out of the room?”  
“We go in there and he’ll shoot us. If you’ve a new body with a blue rose, we’ll let him know as soon as he gives us a sign, we’re allowed to go in. And if the call in is nothing more than a cop, who wants to have his famous fifteen minutes, you better let us know before we talk to him.”  
Sofia made the decision not to answer that one. She had offered the FBI to join, she had shared her knowledge, if they didn’t trust the officers on scene, it wasn’t her fault. 

“Something feels wrong.” Jules stood next to Sara and Sofia at the bus stop. A man sat there like he was waiting for his bus. Hat deep in his face, hands in the pockets of his coat. Nothing indicated that he was dead.   
“Rigor sat.” David kneed next to the man. The blue plastic rose was put in a buttonhole. “I need to open his coat to get a liver temperature. Sara, can you help me out?”  
“Sure.” Sara got next David and pushed the dead man carefully against the wall of the bus stop. David opened the coat a bit and got the thermometer in the liver.   
“He’s been dead around an hour.”  
“The suspect, who’s with the FBI is in custody longer than that.”   
“I guess I call them.” Sofia took her cell phone.  
“He isn’t the killer.” David said.   
Sara took some photos of the body, zoomed on the rose.   
“What do you mean with something is wrong, Jules?”  
“Something feels wrong. The killer always left the victims in a building. This isn’t her style.”  
“Copycat killer?”  
“You tell me, you’re the CSI.”  
“So far everything looks like the cases before – beside the fact you just named. I didn’t see any injuries. David?”  
“No visible blood.”  
“Can you describe this feeling, Jules?”  
“No. Maybe it’s only because it’s an outside scene, but I doubt that. I need to figure that out for myself.”  
“The FBI isn’t happy.” Sofia was back.   
“Ask the man there, I bet he isn’t happy either.” Sara saw the CSI guys of the FBI. It seemed like they hadn’t wait until Sofia confirmed that a blue rose was found. It was more likely that they left the department only a few minutes after them. That meant, Sara had to leave the scene, her job was over.   
“Looks like the boss talks to the wrong man.” One of the FBI CSI said.   
“No visible wounds, a blue plastic rose. So far everything points towards another victim of our serial killer.” Sara reported.   
“Liver temperature indicates, the vic is dead more than two hours.” David added.   
“Means, whoever sits in the department, sat there when this guy was killed.”  
“Yes.” It was possible that the man in custody had poisoned this man, walked away and got picked up by the police. Sara had no idea where he got picked up and the poison needed a few moments to kill the victim. But it the killer had to put on the rose – unless he talked the man into wearing while he was alive. Something she doubted. Which man would wear an ugly blue plastic rose?   
“Not a house this time. Strange.” Tom joined Jules. “Doesn’t fit the other cases, does it?”  
“No. This isn’t intimately enough for the killer. Too many people around.”  
“Well, it’s a remote area.” The bus stop was out of Vegas, nobody was around, every now and then a car came along. And the CAT, the public bus transport of Las Vegas, once an hour. The bus driver of the Cat had called LVPD. When his customer didn’t get up, he stopped, got out of the bus to wake the man up. Only to find a dead man waiting for the bus.   
“Not the profile, Tom.”  
“The one, they had in, didn’t fit the profile either. Is he still in?”  
“I left before a call from you guys came in, I wanted to see the scene while it was fresh. I guess Copper will let him walk. We checked all the females from our list, nobody fit the profile.”  
“There are more names on the list.”  
“I know. So what will we do here?”  
“Watch the CSI looking for evidence. Getting an idea how, why and who killed the man. What does the scene tell you about the killer?”  
“She left the victim here so that somebody can find him. The rose is in the buttonhole, no visible wounds. Poison again? But the killer takes more risks now. A bus stop isn’t a house.”  
“I know what feels wrong.” Jules’ voice didn’t change, it didn’t get more excited because she found discovered what felt wrong.  
“What?”  
“In all the cases, the rose was never connected to the victim. It was in front of it, next to it, but it has never contact with the victim. This time the rose is in the buttonhole, like the killer wanted to make sure, it would stuck to the victim. It’s not a windy day, the cars don’t make enough wind to let the rose fly away. And even if it does, it wouldn’t be more than a few yards. We would find it. The rose is wrong this time. Sara?”  
“I think you’re right.” Sara closed her eyes and let the crime scenes, she had work run in front of her eyes. Yes, all roses had been next to the body, never on the body.   
“That doesn’t proof it’s a different killer, but it’s another indication, that we’re dealing with a copy cat killer.”   
“We never mentioned the rose.” Sara said carefully and looked at Tom.   
“Neither did we, I’m sure you know all the reports, we gave the press.”  
“Somebody who knows of the rose killed this man it’s not our blue rose killer.” Which left only one conclusion: somebody from the FBI or the LVPD had killed this man. What also meant, the man, the FBI had in custody at the moment, could be the killer. 

“Somebody of our team, I don’t get it.” Sofia shook her head. Wasn’t it bad enough that the blue rose killer was still somewhere out there? Now they had to deal with the knowledge that one of their colleagues had killed the man, who was found in the bus stop. It had the FBI taken two days to find the killer. A highway patrol cop, who wanted the husband of his lover out of his way. And because everybody was talking about the blue rose killer, he had used this for his own murder.   
“Cops are humans too.” Jules put her arm around Sofia.   
“Yes, but they’re suppose to be honest humans, humans, that make sure nobody get killed. And not killer.”  
“Don’t blame the rest of your guys for one bad one.”  
“I don’t, I’m just disappointed. That’s not what police work is for. To use the knowledge of crimes and try to cover up your own bad act. Have you seen the face of Copper when he told us, the killer of the last victim is a highway patrol man? He could have also said, LVPD is out because he can’t trust them.”  
“It’s highway patrol not LVPD. But I understand what you mean.”  
“I want to strangle this man. Killing an innocent man only because he wants the wife. If this woman loves him, she leaves her husband. If she doesn’t love him, he won’t make her love him by killing the husband. I wonder why people can’t use their heads. There’s a reason why we have a brain, we’re allowed to use it.”  
“He used his other brain, that’s not located in his head.” Sara sat on the other side of Sofia and pulled the blonde and Jules in her arms. “Stop making yourself feel bad.”  
“I try.”  
“Where’s Brian? Can’t he get your mind occupied with something else?”  
“He’s in San Diego for two days, a seminar. Until tomorrow night.”  
“That means you’ve to stay with us. We have to occupied your mind. Well, let’s see, what can we do?” Sara asked.  
“The same Brian would do?” Jules grinned.  
“No! Don’t go there, Jules. Think of Nina.”  
“Right. Sorry.” Jules laughed and a smiled appeared on Sofia’s face. “See, I got her smile. It was worth it.”  
“All these months and you still don’t understand that I don’t love you, Jules.”  
“Who said something about love? I was talking about sex.”  
“Belongs together for me, remember?”  
“Right. Sorry. Again. Monopoly?”  
“Huh?”  
“Shall we play Monopoly to occupy your mind?”  
“Monopoly? Why Monopoly?”  
“Got a better game?”  
“Yes. Taboo. It’s very good for a laugh.”  
“We need a fourth person for that game. Greg is with Janet, where is Nina?”  
“She and a colleague are out for a show on the Strip.”  
“I’ve an idea, I call Kieran, I’m sure he’s up for some fun if he’s not working.”  
“Your male nurse, yeah he was fun. Call him, I look for the game and order some pizza. We need to work later and I’m sure it will be better with some pizza in our stomachs.”  
“I can sleep later, no pizza for me. I’ll fix myself a fruit salad and some non alcoholic cocktails for all of us.” Jules got up. “We play here or at your place, Sofia?”  
“My place, we’re here all the time. Let’s give Sara’s apartment a break.”   
“And I don’t have to clean up the mess you leave. Perfect.” Sara grinned.   
“We don’t make a mess.” Jules slapped Sara’s head softly and walked into the kitchen. All she need for her fruit salad and the cocktails were here. She decided to make three different kinds of cocktails, mixed them and filled them in three carafes. Ice was next door, they could it there. With the drinks and her fruit salad on a tray she walked over to Greg’s and Sofia’s apartment. Sara had the game in her hands.   
“Kieran will be here in fifteen minutes. Same time as the pizza.”  
“Then he can carry them up. Perfect. Where’s Sofia?”  
“In her room, her cell phone rang.”  
“Brian misses his lover?”  
“It was her work cell.”  
“She can’t start early, she has an important appointment.”  
“I don’t start early.” Sofia came in the living room.   
“Bad news?” Sara didn’t like the look on Sofia’s face. Something had happened.   
“Kind of. The blue rose killer disappeared again.”  
“They found another note?”  
“Another note and another body. A school teacher. According to Nina, who is at the scene, it looks like it wasn’t a copy cat killer this time. The rose was next to the body and so was the note. It says, only goodbye. No indication if it’s for good or only for a while.”  
“Maybe the FBI breathed down her neck and she thought, it’s too dangerous to stay. Will they continue to investigate?”  
“Nina couldn’t say more, she only wanted to give us the heads up. Everything else is up to her boss.”  
“She’ll be back.” Jules said. “She hasn’t finished her job. I’m sure if the teacher was her last planed victim, she had left a different kind of note. This is only temporally. Maybe a few weeks, maybe a few months, but she’ll be back. So far we haven’t given her a reason to stop. She got away. If the FBI is too close to comfort, she’ll put some distance between them and come back when we don’t expect it.”  
“So we’ll be up for another round. She’s two – nil ahead, I hope the next time we’ll score.” Sofia sighed. They had a serious problem. No matter if LVPD wasn’t the ones, who were investigating the cases, the killer was a loose canon and it was their responsibility to provide a safe city for everybody.


End file.
